Department Of Labor investigating Sensory Sweep Studios...

jaysapathy

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Just caught this on my local news:

Utah-based video game developer Sensory Sweep Studio is in hot water with the U.S. Department of Labor, and that could mean some popular games are pulled from shelves.
The Utah Labor Commission is also investigating Sensory Sweep Studio over complaints the company hasn't paid about 200 of its workers. Brent Asay is the wage claim unit manager. He says Sensory Sweep has about 40 complaints against it with the State Labor Commission.
"Some of these could end up going to a judgment filed against them in court, and we have someone with the A.G.'s office who does our legal collections work," Asay said.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor's court filing in U.S. district court in Utah, Sensory Sweep owes 198 employees a combined total of over $2 million. That includes both regular wages and overtime pay.
The court filing asks for an injunction keeping Sensory Sweep from shipping games produced by unpaid workers. Some of the games have already shipped out. The list of affected games includes: The Tale of Despereaux, The Bigs, Scentient, TNA Impact/Wrestling and Drama Queens.
Asay says Sensory Sweep hasn't responded to most of the complaints from the Utah Labor Commission, which automatically puts those complaints in a "default" status. It makes it easier for the state to take Sensory Sweep to court to get the workers their money, but it's still not a guarantee.
"What we do within our process, that's our effort to try to get them to pay. We, of course, can't guarantee they'll ever pay," Asay said.
A Web site apparently created by current and former employees of Sensory Sweep echoes the claims made in the complaints to the U.S. Department of Labor and State Labor Commission. The headline today from X-Sweep's Web site reads, "Sensory Sweep is 116 days behind on pay. It has been 350 days since Sensory Sweep stole our 401k money."
The page continues, "This Web site is dedicated to the employees of Sensory Sweep, past and present. Sensory Sweep demanded a lot from us. We put our lives on hold for them. We worked shifts that ran long into the night and then into the following morning. We sacrificed relationships for them. Marriages and families suffered because of them. They wanted the impossible from us, and that is exactly what we delivered.
"In return, they fed us lies and deception."
The Labor Department's filing seeks $2,032,000.00 under the Fair Labor Standards act.
Sensory Sweep's Web site lists Dave Rushton as the company's president and CEO. So far, Rushton has not returned KSL's call.



According to the Wiki, this company has been involved with a number of games, and as you can see, none of them good..



Should be interesting to see where this goes.
 
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chara_sasori_a.gif


Not pleased
 
That's what they get for making CCC Mini Mix. Horrible, horrible ports/emulation. of freaking NES games.


On the other hand, it makes perfect sense if I look at the game as a cry for help from unpaid employees.
kinda like ninja gaiden 2
 
Internet talking: Does anyone deserve to be paid for making those games?

Me talking: They're not going to get any more money due from Midway for sure. Also, this appears, to me, to be the telltale sign of a developer that's been belly-up for months or longer, but refuses to admit it to itself or its employees. Reminds me of when I was bartending at a place that refused to admit it went out of business. My paychecks bounced for half a year, but I was taking home $150 in tips daily, so I never gave a damn. Unfortunately for SS employees, they don't get tips.
 
[quote name='The article']
Utah-based video game developer Sensory Sweep Studio is in hot water with the U.S. Department of Labor, and that could mean some popular games are pulled from shelves.
[/QUOTE]

*looks at list*

wat
 
I'm sure some of that random crap sold tons.

My Japanese Coach for baka teenagers who think they'll watch anime without subs after 5 hours with the game.
 
bread's done
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