Nintendo fires employee for speaking on Podcast.

[Notional]

THIS was why he was fired:

 

Source:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2015/08/13/nintendo-fires-treehouse-employee-for-appearing-on-a-podcast/

 

He was fired because he painted Sakurai in a negative light. Even if it was a "back-handed" compliment of sorts, it was still presented in a negative way.

 

You don't criticize your supervisors work ethic on a live podcast without consequences.

 

Well I guess it's in the eye of the beholder. Painting someone as extremely passionate is not negative in my mind. Van Gogh was a genius too (although he fell off the wagon in the end). The reaction on WiiU was over the top, like a lot of internet reactions lately. The problem for WiiU was never the name per se, but the poor marketing explaining what it was.

 

Either way, firing someone outright still feels draconian. Maybe make him a janitor or security guard instead :lol:​

[Colonel_Gerdauf]

Either way, firing someone outright still feels draconian. Maybe make him a janitor or security guard instead :lol:​

 

This is what Konami was doing on a very frequent basis, if the rumours are to be believed.

[Notional]

This is what Konami was doing on a very frequent basis, if the rumours are to be believed.

 

That was the reference yes

[Emzijs]

I don't know if it's on-topic or not,but I have a feeling that Nintendo have no idea how internet works these days.
Ok, yes, this guy badmouthed Nintendo for some of their actions and badmouthed Sakurai for his vision and work.But, guys, how you can get better if you don't receive unknown amount of critique?Yes, he chose wrong way to say his opinion but I believe that employee would gone straight to Sakurai and said exactly what he said in podcast,he would be fired anyway?Why?Because Nintendo doesn't want any critique.
For example - Nintendo is deleting several YouTuber reviews about their games.Why?Because there are something that doesn't like Nintendo(critique).Nintendo is not giving out review copies because in past concrete guy has said something bad(in their opinion).
My prediction is - Nintendo will be dead in next 10 years and will transform as software company/game developer - publisher company like Sega.

[Derangel]

Well I guess it's in the eye of the beholder. Painting someone as extremely passionate is not negative in my mind. Van Gogh was a genius too (although he fell off the wagon in the end). The reaction on WiiU was over the top, like a lot of internet reactions lately. The problem for WiiU was never the name per se, but the poor marketing explaining what it was.

 

Either way, firing someone outright still feels draconian. Maybe make him a janitor or security guard instead :lol:​

 

Not draconian at all. It's what a lot of companies would do. It's not exactly a very flattering description of him. There are a lot better ways to get your point across than describing him as insane and unwilling to compromise. The really dismissive attitude towards some of the fanbase isn't exactly great either (seriously, listen to how he speaks when talking about them at around the 9 minute mark). He made a mistake but every mistake has consequences.

[dalekphalm]

Well I guess it's in the eye of the beholder. Painting someone as extremely passionate is not negative in my mind. Van Gogh was a genius too (although he fell off the wagon in the end). The reaction on WiiU was over the top, like a lot of internet reactions lately. The problem for WiiU was never the name per se, but the poor marketing explaining what it was.

 

Either way, firing someone outright still feels draconian. Maybe make him a janitor or security guard instead :lol:​

 

 

Not draconian at all. It's what a lot of companies would do. It's not exactly a very flattering description of him. There are a lot better ways to get your point across than describing him as insane and unwilling to compromise. The really dismissive attitude towards some of the fanbase isn't exactly great either (seriously, listen to how he speaks when talking about them at around the 9 minute mark). He made a mistake but every mistake has consequences.

Exactly. If he wanted to describe Sakurai as a genius, there were much better ways to do it.

 

Yes, he said Sakurai was a genius, but he also made him out to be an unreasonable egotistical asshole who is difficult to work with. Whether that's true or not, you DON'T go around publicly saying that about your supervisor/important exec in the company.

 

This is standard practice in every industry.

 

@Emzijs Nintendos other actions about censoring reviews, etc, don't matter. They simply aren't applicable here. If Chris Pranger had simply told Sakurai, or HR, that Sakurai was difficult to work with - if he had voiced his complaints internally, he'd probably still have a job. But no. He went onto the Internet, during a live stream, for all to hear. He was airing the dirty laundry of Nintendo. Anyone who's ever had a job knows that's a first class ticket to getting fired.

 

Despite whatever his intentions were, he made Nintendo look bad. He made Sakurai look particularly bad. Nintendo was right to fire him over this.

[Gogmazio]

I don't know if it's on-topic or not,but I have a feeling that Nintendo have no idea how internet works these days.

Ok, yes, this guy badmouthed Nintendo for some of their actions and badmouthed Sakurai for his vision and work.But, guys, how you can get better if you don't receive unknown amount of critique?Yes, he chose wrong way to say his opinion but I believe that employee would gone straight to Sakurai and said exactly what he said in podcast,he would be fired anyway?Why?Because Nintendo doesn't want any critique.

For example - Nintendo is deleting several YouTuber reviews about their games.Why?Because there are something that doesn't like Nintendo(critique).Nintendo is not giving out review copies because in past concrete guy has said something bad(in their opinion).

My prediction is - Nintendo will be dead in next 10 years and will transform as software company/game developer - publisher company like Sega.

Most likely won't happen. Nintendo has stated that they will shut their doors before making games for hardware that isn't made by them.

[dalekphalm]

Most likely won't happen. Nintendo has stated that they will shut their doors before making games for hardware that isn't made by them.

Well they are already teaming up with Japanese company DeNA to create smartphone games:

http://www.theverge.com/2015/3/17/8230477/nintendo-dena-mobile-games-announcement

[Snadzies]

If you're not authorized to, talking publicly about how things work in the company you work for, well, you do so at your own risk.

Companies designate people for that (PR) or have said people in the room when others talk so that things they don't want said, don't get said.

You may not like that that is how things work but it is and if you speak out of turn you're basically putting your head on the chopping block and hoping the axe doesn't come down.

[Gogmazio]

Well they are already teaming up with Japanese company DeNA to create smartphone games:

http://www.theverge.com/2015/3/17/8230477/nintendo-dena-mobile-games-announcement

While that's true I'm assuming they were mostly referring to home consoles considering that there are some older Nintendo games on non-Nintendo hardware (CD-i and PC games).

[dalekphalm]

While that's true I'm assuming they were mostly referring to home consoles considering that there are some older Nintendo games on non-Nintendo hardware (CD-i and PC games).

I agree. But none the less, Nintendo has already crossed a line that everyone thought they wouldn't cross. Who knows what they'll do in the future?

[Gogmazio]

I agree. But none the less, Nintendo has already crossed a line that everyone thought they wouldn't cross. Who knows what they'll do in the future?

Make robots that play vi- wait, they did that already. 

[Solkia]

Make robots that play vi- wait, they did that already. 

 

yfw when the shittiest gimmick they ever had saved video games in the west

[Centurius]

I don't know the specifics about his contract but going by past stories Nintendo probably has some clause that prevents employees from talking to media without clearance from higher up(it's honestly pretty common with a lot of companies). If this is the case he got what he had coming.

 

Is it harsh? Sure. Does it suck for him and his family? Definitely. Did he had it coming and are there people who got a much shittier deal? Absolutely.

[dalekphalm]

I don't know the specifics about his contract but going by past stories Nintendo probably has some clause that prevents employees from talking to media without clearance from higher up(it's honestly pretty common with a lot of companies). If this is the case he got what he had coming.

 

Is it harsh? Sure. Does it suck for him and his family? Definitely. Did he had it coming and are there people who got a much shittier deal? Absolutely.

Not only that, but he straight up made negative comments about Sakurai. That alone is likely what got him fired. If he had kept to the company message, even speaking without prior HR approval, he likely would have only got a slap on the wrist and kept his job.

 

Some people will say "well those comments weren't that bad". Guess what? It doesn't matter. If execs see that you make even remotely negative comments about one of your superiors/another exec, you're done for. This is literally standard practice in every company in every industry.

[The Sociologist]

Good. Dont stay shit about your job on live tv. Sure at home with your SO or someone but not on a podcast. Its good he was fired. 

 

But he didn't say it on live TV, he said it on a podcast on a not-very-known website. If he said it on like IGN or something, I'd understand Nintendo's somewhat brash decision. But it's a podcast not a whole lot are going to listen to. Also, the facts he listed weren't wrong except for the last one, that one went a little too far. I mean that's just too much personal stuff to reveal. Everything else was manageable and somewhat neutral. 

[Swndlr]

Welp, cya m8

G_G

 

 

 

Sad but ya gotta be smarter than that...

[GoodBytes]

CEO/President isn't even close to a decent amount of upper management.

 

 

Yes it was probably in his contract, which is kind of dumb on his part (for breaking it.)

 

Never the less, I feel like it was overboard. I know why companies have PR people, but they always seem so freaking disingenuous to me. That, and I don't agree with the corporate policy of, and I quote Mitchell Webb on this, "you have to seem like you give a shit". Why? Because again, it seems disingenuous. Someone with a job they hate, standing there with a fake smile, seems like the sign of either a liar or a moron, to me.

 

Again, just personal opinion. I think Nintendo could seriously use a stick-from-ass removal operation.

They are people that worked at Nintendo, and do Q and A's on podcasts and does interviews and such and they are fine.

For example, Super smash brother announcer voice Xander Mobus, or Charles Martinet amongst others. Why? They talk about their job, sure they do a few voices here and there from the character they represents in their voice (in the case of mentioned voice actors), but they understand that it is Nintendo property, and be careful on what they say. They try and control the interview to questions that they cancel about themselves, and keep it all friendly.

In his case, he mocks Nintendo fans, insults his supervisor, and criticizes Nintendo directions.

Instead of saying "Nintendo doesn't want your money" as an answer onto why some comes aren't ported, is not good. He could have said something like "Nintendo evaluates markets of game via studies, as the cost of localization on some of those games can be very high especially if it contains lot of dialog. Sometimes the companies tries with some games every now and then to analyses the market realities, like with the coming up WiiU game Xenoblade Chronicles X (assuming he can say that part of course, if not cut it short, of course) where the company takes the hit, and see."

Now I don't know the policies of Nintendo nor the PR statements, rules and regulations, nor did any PR training. But assuming he can say what I said, then it is FAR FAR FAR better than his original criticizing statement.

But the reality, is that he should have refused to answer these questions, and only answer questions related to his job.

Usually a person that goes outside and speaking or will potentially speak to a decision, have PR training or selected based on his communication skill, and role within the company. For example, at Microsoft, Gabe Aul, manager of the Windows Insider program team, where they select builds to be released for Insiders, and works fixing bugs (from my understanding) probably, and most likely had PR training. So that there is no slip up and avoid miss communications like the story that happened with XBox One before it was released, and the guy got fired.

[dalekphalm]

But he didn't say it on live TV, he said it on a podcast on a not-very-known website. If he said it on like IGN or something, I'd understand Nintendo's somewhat brash decision. But it's a podcast not a whole lot are going to listen to. Also, the facts he listed weren't wrong except for the last one, that one went a little too far. I mean that's just too much personal stuff to reveal. Everything else was manageable and somewhat neutral. 

It doesn't matter if the Podcast was on some nobody website, or hosted on the Verge or IGN.

 

The number of viewers certainly doesn't matter either.

 

What matters is that he made a public statement with derisive comments towards Sakurai. Sure, the comments "weren't that bad", but that's more then enough to get you fired in any other industry. What makes the Game Developer Industry different?

 

You don't say anything negative about your superiors in a public venue. The end. Period.

 

This is universal across all industries and job types.

[Centurius]

CEO/President isn't even close to a decent amount of upper management.

 

 

Yes it was probably in his contract, which is kind of dumb on his part (for breaking it.)

 

Never the less, I feel like it was overboard. I know why companies have PR people, but they always seem so freaking disingenuous to me. That, and I don't agree with the corporate policy of, and I quote Mitchell Webb on this, "you have to seem like you give a shit". Why? Because again, it seems disingenuous. Someone with a job they hate, standing there with a fake smile, seems like the sign of either a liar or a moron, to me.

 

Again, just personal opinion. I think Nintendo could seriously use a stick-from-ass removal operation.

That's basically their job description, PR needs to spin bad company decisions into a positive light and increase focus on the good ones. Companies aren't a public service, at the end of the day the most important thing to them is the bottom line and that is how things are supposed to be. It is their responsibility to possible shareholders and others with an interest. As said before this happens in every single industry.

 

If I went public tomorrow with criticism about my boss I'd get fired before the interview was even over, let alone make fun of the people buying my company's products and revealing negative company policies. I'd deserve it too.

[Trik'Stari]

That's basically their job description, PR needs to spin bad company decisions into a positive light and increase focus on the good ones. Companies aren't a public service, at the end of the day the most important thing to them is the bottom line and that is how things are supposed to be. It is their responsibility to possible shareholders and others with an interest. As said before this happens in every single industry.

 

If I went public tomorrow with criticism about my boss I'd get fired before the interview was even over, let alone make fun of the people buying my company's products and revealing negative company policies. I'd deserve it too.

Just to point out, the purpose of a business isn't to make money, the purpose of a business is to bring goods or services to market at a fair market price. Bottom-line first business practices are a perversion of true free market capitalism.

[The Sociologist]

It doesn't matter if the Podcast was on some nobody website, or hosted on the Verge or IGN.

 

The number of viewers certainly doesn't matter either.

 

What matters is that he made a public statement with derisive comments towards Sakurai. Sure, the comments "weren't that bad", but that's more then enough to get you fired in any other industry. What makes the Game Developer Industry different?

 

You don't say anything negative about your superiors in a public venue. The end. Period.

 

This is universal across all industries and job types.

Yeah, that's what I said, it was way too personal of information to reveal. I bet that was the main thing he said that alerted Nintendo. Everything else could've been taken as positive or negative. I feel like that last one was the one that made him lose his job. 

[Kurosaki Isshin]

he didn't say anything that requires him to be fired. punished? maybe, but fired? thats extreme. are they making him an example? this would be even worse.

[dalekphalm]

he didn't say anything that requires him to be fired. punished? maybe, but fired? thats extreme. are they making him an example? this would be even worse.

If you've read the thread, then you'll see numerous posts that specifically outline why he got fired, and which parts of his statements were wrong to say.

 

This is the real world, not high school. You rarely get do-overs for big screw ups. And it might not seem "bad" to many of the users here - many of which have little or no job experience in the career world - but what he said was enough to get him fired in ANY industry.

 

Had he said those comments in private to his supervisor or to HR, then he would probably still have his job. He did not - he most likely just didn't think about what he was saying, but he chose to make those statements in a public venue - after that, the nail was already in the coffin.

[Kurosaki Isshin]

If you've read the thread, then you'll see numerous posts that specifically outline why he got fired, and which parts of his statements were wrong to say.

 

This is the real world, not high school. You rarely get do-overs for big screw ups. And it might not seem "bad" to many of the users here - many of which have little or no job experience in the career world - but what he said was enough to get him fired in ANY industry.

 

Had he said those comments in private to his supervisor or to HR, then he would probably still have his job. He did not - he most likely just didn't think about what he was saying, but he chose to make those statements in a public venue - after that, the nail was already in the coffin.

they are quickly to fire the public talkers in any industry, as you put it, but they keep the ones that cost them more in other areas of "company image".

suppose it depends on who you know within the company.

 

making this man an example is a bit much. his family gets the short end of the stick. but if it was in the contract, his fault (&ofc nintendo had it in the contract)