KingsIsle Entertainment Employee Reviews about "studio"

Pros

Good balance of the structure in a professional organization and the creative environment of a game studio. Financial disciplineial disciplineial discipline has kept the studio from doing a lot of layoffs over the years. Great work life balance compared to most game studios. Little to no overtime unless driving towards a specific strategic target. Collaborative high caliber employees who truly want to create a great product. I can count on one hand the number of employees who were truly difficult or didn't subscribe to being a team player. Opportunities for someone with experience/success in the mobile game market to make a real impact.

Cons

Limited opportunities for career growth depending upon the level which you come into the organization. Very little experience making mobile games and slow to hire subject matter experts which would impact their success in the mobile game market.

Pros

Most of the people you'll work with are great. There are a lot of talented people at the studio. The company does a great job of NOT working you to a nub as projects close in on their delivery date, so your work/life balance will not suffer. Immediate department managers are great and approachable if you ever have an issue. The studio also hosts a number of fun days throughout the year that offer opportunities to interact with people you might not work with day-to-day. Lay-offs are also extremely rare so there's nice stability.

Cons

The company strategy laid forth by upper management is unclear, and communication to the rank-and-file employees can be spotty. Inter-studio politics can get in the way of producing the best possible products, with projects often delayed due to constantly shifting priorities. Pay could be more competitive with other studios and it's toughe competitive with other studios and it's toughe competitive with other studios and it's tough to move up the ladder of promotion.

Pros

Provided decent benefits, had some good and fun people (a few are still there), felt somewhat stable (though it wasn't). Some teams worked limited overtime at milestones, but overall overtime was rare. The location was good for north Austinites, but it has since moved to Round Rock from Austin. I know little about the new location.

Cons

Some in studio management had an attitude better suited to industrial labor than creative work, worrying more about things like lunch break lengths than how to foster creativity. I often felt I was being watched, despite being religious about my hours. The studio continues to survive on revenue from old PC products and tries to succeed at mobile, but success there is terribly unpredictable and elusive, and the studio management didn't seemio continues to survive on revenue from old PC products and tries to succeed at mobile, but success there is terribly unpredictable and elusive, and the studio management didn't seemio continues to survive on revenue from old PC products and tries to succeed at mobile, but success there is terribly unpredictable and elusive, and the studio management didn't seem to have much vision with regards to anything, let alone how to win at crafting mobile IP's.