Rebellion CEO Says Derby Studio In 'Final Stages' Amid Unpaid Wages Accusations

Early this year, UK-based Aliens vs. Predator developer Rebellion said it would be closing down its Derby studio, the one responsible for November 2009’s ill-received Rouge Warrior. As operations completely wind down at the Derby studio, Gamasutra received unofficial reports that Rebellion owes unpaid wages to laid off workers. "Rebellion have failed to pay all the remaining Derby employees any wages owed for April, and any agreed redundancy payments for all those who left during April," wrote an individual who said she was the wife of an ex-Derby staffer in an email to Gamasutra. She wished to remain anonymous. "In addition to this there are still a small number of employees working in the Derby studio -- effectively for free -- asset stripping the building," she added. She said that her husband was unwilling to speak to media directly, as he feared that Rebellion could retaliate by continuing to hold the wages that the company purportedly owes. She added, "Rebellion are claiming 'financial difficulties' as the reason for non-payment of wages and redundancy packages, but this has all been done verbally, over the phone, and are refusing to send anything out in writing." "They seem to be claiming that as Rebellion Derby is registered as a separate legal entity, and it's not currently making money, that there is no money to pay their remaining and [recently-departed employees]." She also said that Derby staff believe that the studio will be liquidated "in order [for the company] to get out of paying the [redundancy] packages that they have agreed" to pay, although this is unconfirmed. Another Derby wife we spoke with left a now-deleted message on Rebellion’s Facebook page. "Stop screwing over the people still there Rebellion," she wrote. After the post was deleted, she said that Rebellion has treated its employees "shockingly," adding, "What you have done to the remaining people you have surpassed yourselves in sheer malevolence." She corroborated the story of the other Derby wife, claiming Rebellion is not putting any further agreements in writing. She also said that Derby staff were supposed to sign a contract promising not to say anything derogatory about Rebellion. "Luckily most ignored it and didn't sign despite repeated pressure from [Rebellion headquarters in Oxford]," she said. She also said that the alleged unpaid wages have "affected us greatly, obviously financially, as [my husband] is now out of work and we are existing on [jobseekers' allowance] while he tries to find alternative employment, tricky in this economic environment. Emotionally we had a lot of stress and worry about what was happening. We have children and a house to support after all." Rebellion CEO Jason Kingsley did not confirm or deny accusations that that his company owes workers unpaid wages. "As announced months ago, we’re re-organizing and as a result losing the majority of staff at the Derby facilities," he said in an email to Gamasutra. "We’re in the final stages of this process and for obvious reasons I can’t comment on individual or unattributed comments." Kingsley did not answer follow-up questions. Rebellion purchased Tomb Raider developer Core Design from Eidos in 2006, and renamed the studio Rebellion Derby. Rebellion still has studios in Oxford and Runcorn. Rogue Warrior publisher Bethesda Softworks handed the game off to Rebellion Derby after the publisher decided the game's original developer, Zombie Studios, was taking the game in the wrong direction. [UPDATE: Added additional comments from second Derby wife.]