“ Ca n’t I just say what happened ? ” A tall man in a flat cap postulate , looking around the sparse meeting elbow room . “ Is n’t accuracy an out-and-out defense ? ” This is Doug Costello , the CEO of Wyrmwood Gaming . “ It is , ” read fountainhead of HR Bas Antoine , “ if you have the whole account . ” The two go back and off , brainstorming a response , Costello repeatedly looking into a camera as he dramatically narrate allegations of intimate assault . “ The individual who was allegedly raped never worked at the company , ” he says , eyebrows raised . “ I do n’t know her name . ”
The scene is from a fourteen - minute video style “ Wyrmwood reply to SA Allegations , ” a record book of a group of men talk about what to do about lately - surfaced allegations of sexual ravishment at their company . Throughout the telecasting , Costello makes statements like : “ You have to get police involved . ” He mentions alcohol as a factor in the allegement . In part of the picture , Wyrmwood ’s attorney , Frank E. Biedak , sacrifice the go in the lead to partake the video on their YouTube epithelial duct , alongside a written statement .
Wyrmwood Gaming is an remarkably transparent company ; while its core business is making luxury wood products for tabletop gamers , include die tray , deck boxes and play tables , its executive seem equally concerned with the production of Wyrm Lyfe , a YouTube - based world show focused on their daily activities at the companionship , filmed with hand-held cameras and uploaded two to three clock time a workweek .
In a screenshot from a Wyrm Lyfe video, Bobby Downey (L) and Doug Costello read comments on a Wyrm Lyfe video.Screenshot: Wyrmwood
The curriculum has over 100,000 endorser , and fans normally reply to unexampled videos with congratulations or devout questions . But the sexual assault discussion was not Wyrmwood ’s usual subject matter . Comments on YouTube , Reddit , and Twitter reprobate the video as a “ tincture - deaf ” and “ harmful ” way to handle serious allegation . Several bodied partners , includingDispel Diceand the mental wellness organizationTake This , harbinger they would terminate their relationships with Wyrmwood . The ship’s company took the telecasting down from YouTube in less than two days .
In a affirmation address the allegations , Wyrmwood say : “ We take any allegation of inappropriate deportment , including , but not trammel to , intimate ravishment , intimate misconduct and safety issue , very seriously . We consider the base hit and well - being of our employees a top precedence . To that end , we ’ve made very substantial investments in HR and Safety and will uphold to do so . ”
But after io9 reviewed a hold open copy of the video and set out to investigate , it became clear-cut this incident is symbolical of a caller that appear to prioritise the image and ego of its executives over the people who mould for it . Over the path of this investigation io9 spoke to nearly fifty sources , including current and former employees , who shared stories that included allegations of rampant misogynism , bullying , serious working atmospheric condition , and intimate molestation and rape .
Doug Costello decline to reply to these allegations via phone or email ; he invited io9 to chit-chat one of the society ’s workshop , but we were unable due to time constraint . io9 offered to interview any representative of the company as an choice ; Costello declined to pass the offer along . The only current executive director of Wyrmwood Gaming who spoke to io9 on the record for this clause was Bas Antoine , head of HR .
While Wyrmwood Gaming wants to convince audiences that it ’s just a cool crew of goofballs doing their best , there ’s rot at the company extending deep into the heartwood of its structure . At its center : co - owner / co - founder and CEO Doug Costello .
What is Wyrmwood Gaming?
Wyrmwood Gaming is a Taunton , Massachusetts - ground woods workshop and manufacturing fellowship that produces luxuriousness play piece of furniture and accoutrement . set up in 2012 by brothers Doug and Ian Costello , the business was found out of a hobby woodshop in their parents ’ barn , and sell its wares at local gaming stores . Within months , the pair teamed up with local gamers and woodworkers Eric Dupuis and Ed Maranville .
In October 2013 , Wyrmwood launch itsfirst Kickstarter , to fund the building of handcrafted wooden dice vault . The campaign complete after 27 days , having raised $ 84,460 from 1,423 backers . ( To date , Wyrmwood has successfully completed 24 Kickstarter political campaign ; its latest , conclude on March 17 , prove $ 1,923,029 , with more than 5,000 angel making $ 299 deposits for tables that could cost anywhere from $ 1,700 to up of $ 10,000 , depending on wood and shape . )
Soon after , Wyrmwood expanded to a mid - sizing shop class , then to the current location in Taunton , and most recently by purchasing Keystone Furniture in Pennsylvania to act as a cultivation shop .
During every maturation spirt , Wyrmwood experienced growing pain in the neck . John Savage , a woodworker who was at the caller for three years start in 2015 , recalls that increasing production to fulfil Kickstarter orders showed a “ lack of provision … [ management ] told us we would be able to make a product in a certain fashion and then when we tried to bring it to scale , we would find major flaws in the yield . ”
“ Doug is the type of person that throw stuff at the wall , ” enjoin co - founder Eric Dupuis . “ He fundamentally does n’t believe in competency . ” In anepisode of Wyrm Lyfe , after Costello boasts that his skillset is in entrepreneurship , not “ handle a enceinte ship’s company with proper financials , ” Wyrmwood societal media handler turned reality show producer Bobby Downey chimes in , allege “ and we ’ve been manipulate it pretty in effect . ” Nobody contradicts him .
In 2020 , Wyrmwood ’s Modular Game Table crowdfunding campaign became one of the most successful fundraiser Kickstarter ever hosted , bring in nearly 9 million dollars and tremendously increase requirement on the shop . During this period of rapid evolution , and while dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic , the company jumped from 50 multitude to nearly 120 , and lucubrate into a 2nd shop class positioning in Pennsylvania .
It was during this transition that Wyrmwood add in Mike Saltzman , who was brought on to “ develop and manage a retail endeavour , ” and later on began to take over some executive day - to - mean solar day trading operations of the job . Saltzman correct to verbalize about the problems at the ship’s company due to contractual restrictions , but said in a compose statement to io9 that he left shortly after connect the caller , following an argument “ that highlighted substantial professional differences , primarily between Doug [ Costello ] and myself . ”
Despite the mellow - pressure environment , many of the employee of Wyrmwood – the people arrive at the dice trays and tug and burial vault and mesa – said they loved their jobs . “ I wanted to be an owner at one compass point , ” said Savage , speak about how much he enjoyed the work . “ I still have booster there . ”
That attitude can be trace , in part , to how Wyrmwood engage a bunch of nerdy gamers to make beautiful , nerdy gaming products . It ’s also a result of Wyrmwood enrol from within the prolonged circle of friends and family that already work at the troupe , creating an intimate and tight - knit workplace .
But employee say that today , that sense of comradeship has perish missing . “ Working there is like being in a cult , ” one former employee said , draw how they felt about their former colleagues . “ reasonably much [ everyone who works at Wyrmwood ] are heavy people , ” stated another former employee antecedently in middle management , “ But let me just be blunt about it . I like everyone at the society except for Doug Costello . ”
Bad behavior at the highest levels
The first external reading that something was wrong inside Wyrmwood add up in 2020 , when Doug Costello publically free as CEO after a difference of opinion over COVID safety measures . The incident blew over fast , and Costello returned to the position in 2021 .
More troubles became public in early 2023 , when accusation of sexual rape at the company began to surface on Twitter . These accusation die viral in bet on communities , as Wyrmwood Gaming is a placeable name and they had just begun their twenty-third Kickstarter . A few days later , former employee Andrew Oberbecksaid on Twitterhe was the whistleblower , and he had been fired by Doug at once . Then Wyrmwood Gaming released their telecasting about the situation .
But this incident is not the only allegation of actus reus made against Wyrmwood employee . io9 spoke to multiple people who allege they have been assaulted or harassed by former and current employee at Wyrmwood Gaming : One of these sources retracted their program line out of fright of revenge , but two others testify that head word of media Bobby Downey had sexually beset them while they were either employee of Wyrmwood or need in a business partnership the company . Downey did not respond to io9 ’s request for comment .
One so-called victim , a former employee in Wyrmwood ’s woodworking department who involve not to be named , echo an incident that occurred in 2019 after she ’d been nonchalantly flirting with Downey , but then decide to break it off : He was her indirect boss , and a part - possessor of the company , so she did n’t feel well-to-do pursuing a relationship with him , she said . After a few days of giving Downey a cold berm , he insisted they meet up . When they were alone , fit in to the source , Downey unzipped his pants and exposed himself . He took his phallus out and asked if she was “ perish to leave him with blue balls . ” When the charwoman refused , he expect if he could take maintenance of it himself . The woman , not knowing what to do , order yes . He she-bop in front of her , fell a used tissue , and leave behind .
Selina Heinen , a stigma representative who worked with one of Wyrmwood ’s business partners , describe “ barrages of flirty text edition subject matter ” from Downey , who finally recite them , “ I imagine we should have sex . ” Heinen says they told Downey no , and that they did n’t want to date within the industry for awe of being judged below the belt by confrere , but Downey forebode that having sex with him would n’t bear on Heinen ’s reputation . Heinen refuse again , but felt pressured to keep a cordial human relationship with Downey because of their professional connections .
The feeling that Wyrmwood is not a welcoming workplace for women extend beyond accusations of outright intimate torment . Bas Antoine , Wyrmwood ’s head of HR , said that the company utilize an “ above average ” number of cleaning woman and nonbinary masses . Antoine enunciate Wyrmwood employs 23 % more women than industry standard . But you would n’t know it from see Wyrm Lyfe , where they tend to seem in periodic cameos . Wyrm Lyfe was under Bobby Downey ’s unmediated supervision for years , and wide consider “ his vanity undertaking , ” according to former and current employees . ( Antoine say that Downey has shifted away from the project . )
“ The [ lack of char ] had been brought to [ Downey ’s ] attention multiple time , ” said Ted Bumpus , a former employee at Wyrmwood . harmonize to sources , Downey ’s excuses for not including more woman include statements like “ women are n’t as funny as humanity , ” and “ the charwoman at Wyrmwood are too awkward and belligerent to be on camera . ”
“ He does n’t treat women like people if they are n’t attractive to him , ” suppose one former employee . Another employee , a non - binary woodman identify Jamezie , who take that their last name be withheld from this article , return being cut out from television , and having their password repeated again , to television camera , by principal operations military officer Ian Costello .
Sources say cleaning woman at Wyrmwood are rarely advance , and many have been clear over for promotions in party favor of men they help coach . “ Women have the least perpendicular movement in the company , ” enounce a current employee . “ I saw multiple women fail to move up despite being the best craftspeople , ” state one former employee . Antoine says this only happened once that he know of since his term of office began in mid-2021 , and cited performance effect as a cause for the disparity .
But Costello ’s views on gender roles and family life might be another reason women are n’t getting promote . According to Ted Bumpus , Costello has described himself as a “ natalist ” — a term referring to an ideology that says the detail of human existence is reproduction , and in recent days , a bowel movement that kick upstairs the idea of improving the world through spreading superior transmissible fabric . What ’s more , Bumpus says , Costello allows these beliefs to influence management decisions .
“ He once give a young humans who stated his desire to have a fellowship a massive raise in order of magnitude to support that , ” Bumpus enounce . “ He ended up making more money than his manager at the meter . It caused a huge ruckus . ”
Another former employee certify that Costello has said that “ fair sex should aspire to having children , ” and imply that if you do n’t have children , you ’re a bad person .
John Savage recalls a time when he wanted to become the society ’s convening manager , and approach Costello regarding the vacancy . “ He basically say … that because I had a wife and nestling , he could n’t in skillful conscience deliberate me for that posture because of the amount of travel that it would require . ” Costello himself has five children .
Dupuis recalls an incident with Costello in 2017 that caused him to step away from Wyrmwood . “ We were at a convening and we had a female employee – who is well-fixed make her story shared – and we were not being let in early on . The employee voice her defeat to the security safety and Doug grabbed her by the branch like she was a baby and yell at her . ” The incident trouble Dupuis enough to convince him to remove himself from a company he had build up for near five years .
He say it was inevitable . “ You get to a point where somebody disgusts you as a somebody . And there is no room you could really have a family relationship with them . ” Dupuis left Wyrmwood in 2019 and sell his shares .
Former Wyrmwood woodworker Alley Livingston recalled the day before she leave office her job at the company . In recent 2022 , the same hebdomad that an employee nearly bite their digit off on an allegedly bad machine , Wyrm Lyfe post a videowhere Costello state of matter “ base hit slows you down , ” and disparages OSHA . Livingston quoted the video in the company Discord – their typical mode of communication . The next daytime , Costello convey Livingston and her direct director into a small office .
Livingston said that she did not reply to the shouting , which seemed to encourage Costello to continue berating her . “ No one stood up for me . Nobody help me . Nobody intervene . I sort of shut down … because what else are you going to do ? ”
When Livingston finally apologize — just to get out of the office , she says Costello short stopped . “ He ’s like , ‘ okay , I ’m good . Are you just ? ’ And we shook hands . As if nothing had happened . ” Livingston quit the next day . The hour representative who was nearby quit briefly after . One former employee say the representative was “ frustrated by the unsurmountable HR problem ” that Costello presented .
Wyrmwood ’s board of directors is currently made up of the three majority owners ; brothers Doug and Ian Costello , and Ed Maranville . Women who might be promote have no female ally among the upper direction and administrator squad , and the reference claim that the top - down misogyny has made it impossible for middle managers and craftspeople to combat sexism , even when they attempt to elevate or further woman . presently , only nine women out of a company of 170 are in direction positions . There is one fair sex on the executive team , but she shares the title “ carbon monoxide gas - manager of conventionality ” with a man .
“ If you ’re a woman at Wyrmwood , you make love your place in the companionship , ” said Mary Antanavica , a former woodsman who was fired after she made a complaint about torment from another employee . Wyrmwood country she was fire for “ recapitulate complaints of her openly accosting and berating subordinates , ” but Antanavica says she view the firing retaliatory .
Disrespect for craftspeople
Despite the important revenue driven by Wyrmwood ’s disk - setting Kickstarter drive , employees say the fellowship did n’t share the wealth with most worker .
fit in to support reviewed by io9 describing the fellowship ’s insurance for raises , before 2020 Wyrmwood operated on a tier - based scheme where employees could review how much everyone at the company made , and see a clear way for how to move up in the company . This change in 2020 , when tiers were eliminated , and employee were evaluated and give lift on an single base .
While the workers on the shop class floor were barely make a dollar or two more an hour over lower limit wage ( $ 15 / hour in Massachusetts ) , most of the exec staff and managers had been making $ 45 - 70,000 , and eight executives , include the beginner and Bobby Downey , were making $ 100,000 .
Antoine state that presently , Wyrmwoods craftspeople make around $ 20 an hour , which amounts to roughly $ 42,000 annually . In dividing line , the intermediate earnings of a union artificer carpenter in Massachusetts is $ 66,000 .
Raises , when they do occur , are typically implemented month after the company tells their faculty to expect them . In 2022 , the company laid off 23 people just before Christmas , some sources suspect , to obviate paying vacation PTO . Antoine tell that these layoffs were “ inauspicious ” and that the timing was “ super shitty . ”
Promotions are also hard to get , according to multiple source , unless you ’re one of Costello ’s “ favorites . ”
“ [ Costello ] tried to lend me into the intimate rophy in the beginning . So I got thing that a lot of other people at the company did n’t , ” Bumpus said . “ He rewarded me financially very speedily and assist move me up . ”
Accusations of nepotism are far-flung , and have even been direct in public onan installment of Wyrm Lyfe , where the medium team ’s various connection were position out . Antoine told io9 that the medium team and company at large is less nepotistic now , but let in that within a calendar month of arrive at Wyrmwood in 2021 he was promoted to lead of HR , despite get no specific making . He says this is due to his “ study ethic . ”
Antoine connect Wyrmwood after what one source depict as a “ quarter life-time crisis ” while working on Wall Street during the pandemic . Antoine stated that he worked on the store floor for less than a calendar month in 2021 before getting apace promoted to the executive team . His titles currently are ; Head of HR , Chief of Business and Sales Officer , and VP of furniture , which include oversee the opulence biz table production . He has no late woodworking or HR experience , although he posit that he works with adviser to help establish systems for employee direction at the company .
“Safety slows you down”
In summertime of 2020 , during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic , Wyrmwood get asking employee bring back to its Massachusetts mill . The society says that employee who wished to stay their restitution were accommodated . Once on site , workers began to notice what they viewed as potentially dangerous relapsing in workplace safety regarding COVID guard and fire prevention . presently after , a grouping of workers went to Costello directly and ask about improving standards . Costello order that he wanted them to pitch a formalize document with their requested changes , but added that they better “ make it good ” or they would be the first fired if anything went ill-timed .
When workers were ready to present their proposition , 18 people signed out of the approximately 50 citizenry work at the plant . According to rootage , an estimated 15 - 20 additional people wanted to signalize , but fear retaliation from management . One informant aver that they wanted to sign up and voiced their support to the organizers but “ did n’t desire to terminate up homeless . ”
When present with the marriage offer ahead of the agreed - upon meeting time and deadline ( during which Costello was scheduled to meet with a small group of prole representatives ) , Costello change the terms ; there would be an annunciation , not a meeting .
This announcement was filmed and published via Wyrm Lyfe , in a video recording titled ‘ Wyrmwood Goes Corporate . ’ In this heavily - edit 17 - min cartridge clip , Costello deplore the workers ’ demands for “ safety ” and “ 60 minutes , ” saying that such things are “ corporate ” and will “ take away from fun . ” He ’s unmasked in the middle of the pandemic , yelling at a bunch of mask workers who have ask for safe workings conditions , with his common pack of executives , include Ian Costello and Bobby Downey standing behind him . He ends by stepping down as chief executive officer . Two workshop employees resigned later on that workweek in protest . Doug Costello returned to the CEO berth less than a year after .
The published video only evidence Costello verbalise , but io9 received a transcription of the declaration that had not been edited . The full announcement guide 30 bit , and workers were talking back and pushing against Costello ’s tirade the total clock time . One proletarian stops him , say that “ we wanted a simple meeting and you ’ve turned it into a circus . Now you have the shitshow you need . ” Another says , “ nobody asked for your soapboxing . ” Towards the end of the transcription , Downey says “ we ’ve scram some editing to do . ” An employee can be overheard pronounce “ I bet you do . ”
There were other employee business over COVID base hit . Costello and Jason MacDonald – the current lead designer and chief executive officer during Costello ’s stair back from the place – often traveled interstate between Wyrmwood shop and did not undergo government - recommended quarantine . masque insurance policy also variegate depending on the executive squad ’s “ personal tactual sensation ” about the res publica of the pandemic , according to multiple source .
Costello claims he is very implicated about prophylactic , and has allege so multiple metre on Wyrm Lyfe , but often in the same breathing place that he begins to disparage the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration ( OSHA ) as overbear . He describes OSHA regulations as “ remove bureau and adulthood ” from employee .
“ OSHA has come through the shop multiple times , ” said Livingston . “ I was contact by OSHA after I reported an incident , and they tell me that Wyrmwood had been reported so many time that they were going to endeavor to ticket them on as many things as they could . ”
Wyrmwood has multiple OSHA violation on Indian file . They have receivedfive serious safety infractionssince 2020 , including violation for noise safety and improper operation of a forklift . The caller currently owes or has paid nigh $ 30,000 in fines . Wyrmwood state that it is currently in compliance with OSHA standard , and they knead with Occupational Safety and Health Administration consultants to establish safety machine regulations at the shop .
“ The caller is dictated to do thing in a room that maximise swiftness , ” continued Livingston , “ and they do so in a way that violates safety monetary standard . ” Multiple source stated that Wyrmwood does not get problems unless it stand to cost them something if they do n’t fix it .
“ I have see more and more injuries as [ Costello ] campaign the workers to work faster , ” pronounce one current employee . work injuries described to io9 include well - avoidable mistakes triggered by a lack of rubber equipment or training . generator cover that nobody is adequately trained on the equipment ; employees are hired with footling to no woodworking experience and trained to be “ just tolerable enough . ”
One of the shop ’s worst injuries happened in 2022 , when an employee was puzzle out during a surmise might hoo-ha that caused a car to malfunction and clamp down on the employee ’s hand . Because the machine did not have an emergency stop , the employee ’s hand remained clamp between the motorcar and the Mrs. Henry Wood they were working with for five to seven seconds , nearly burning their finger’s breadth off . That employee was pelt along to the infirmary and had to undergo multiple OR .
Later in the day , multiple sources say , direction attempted to gloss over this event in a floor meeting , and undertake to pick the employee for the injury , despite the fact that this machine had been known to have this issue . “ I ’ve seen this brand go off for no reason , ” said one former employee . “ I ’ve see one of the manager carry over when this auto was malfunction and have to unplug the total machine so as to block the pneumatic munition with the brand from pass away up and down . ”
The injured employee was supposed to return to Wyrmwood for “ light work , ” but before they could return to work , they were place off . This employee is now plan to register a workplace hurt causa .
Another former employee , Matt King , also says he hunt into problems due to health issuance : A Crab survivor with a chronic sickness , King worked in customer service , and say that he was denied some accommodations that would countenance him to work effectively , including a fifteen - minute buffer for his speech sound line to allow flexible scratch line metre . King finally resigned during a group meeting with management because of the comprehend deficiency of support .
“ par , ” King say , “ is not equity . My experience at Wyrmwood showed me that I might not ever be able to act on an just vocation in my life-time . ”
Other refuge issues include environmental hazards . Masking is not always enforced in areas with high-pitched detritus and chemical substance content . The spray way was directly next to the communal lunch tabular array , and had one industrial fan helping spread the fumes , but that fan was block by a sheet of plastic . Wyrmwood states that it is currently in compliance with OSHA standards , and forge with Occupational Safety and Health Administration consultants to show base hit regularization at the shop class .
In a dusty , wood - filled factory , fervidness extinguishers were often overleap , out of date , or uncharged . This can even be seen ina Wyrm Lyfe video , when a safety inspector informs Costello of an out - of - charge fire extinguisher . Costello seems shocked that you would need to keep these up to date , and laughs when he tests them and nothing happens . This TV is from two age ago , but multiple source account that fire safety is still not taken earnestly . For years , the de facto response when the ardour alarm went off was to see if “ any of the handler ” were leaving the area .
source also say that drug use at Wyrmwood has been a job , and that employees would fume marijuana on break , and on company attribute . While marijuana utilization is n’t illegal in Massachusetts , smoking and then operating heavy machinery is an patently unsafe practice . Several employees draw incident where Costello would catch people smoking , and beam them home for the day , but stated that “ there were no actual import for smoking weed at oeuvre . ” Antoine states that this is no longer the case at the companionship .
What is Wyrm Lyfe?
Wyrm Lyfe , the company ’s YouTube series , debuted in September of 2018as a behind - the - scenes look at the workshop , caller culture , and “ episodic drama . ” Over the preceding four year the output has turned into a deliberately constructed , striking reality show about the staff of Wyrmwood Gaming .
“ When Wyrm Lyfe first came out I thought it was a little funny , ” said Savage . “ But it ’s not really us . It ’s supposed to be the shop , and it became this realness show about a bunch of oddball who work in the gaming industry but do n’t game . ” Multiple sources describe Wyrm Lyfe as a dresser project for Costello and Downey .
“ Wyrmwood is an amusement company that occasionally does manufacture , ” aver a former employee . “ It ’s a narcissistic endeavor headed by a chafe narcist who desperately wants to be famous . ”
The result is less an image of a goofy company riding the wave of success and more of an privileged look at a concern that , according to a former employee , “ fails hard and fast , does n’t know what it ’s doing most of the time , and decline to lease anyone with actual experience run a job of their size . ”
Wyrmwood ’s media squad is held to an entirely dissimilar standard than the eternal rest of the staff , consort to employee sources . They are allowed to be late , they get paid more money , and they are keep separate from the craftspeople ; because they act as the de - facto “ sale squad , ” upper direction considers the media team the “ money makers ” of Wyrmwood , which signify that they get far more leeway than the people who actually build the Cartesian product .
The devaluation of craftspeople in favor of the medium squad has bred rancour at the company–“everyone detest the metier department , ” said a former employee – and has instilled a sensory faculty of hauteur in the medium team .
Meanwhile , interior communicating is so high-risk at Wyrmwood that the shop employees ascertain out tidings about Wyrmwood from watching Wyrm Lyfe , according to multiple source . “ It go on all the clip , ” said Savage .
Topics that were not communicate directly to the staff let in new products that they would be gain , when lift would occur , faculty changes and position shift key , fresh equipment , layoff announcements , business status , and upcoming advancement and Kickstarter campaigns .
“ Wyrm Lyfe is highly edited propaganda , ” said one former employee . And it has work . Over 100 K people take to the Wyrm Lyfe line to tune into the Dougie Costello show three times a week . The job is that Wyrm Lyfe , like all propaganda , deliberately crafted and redact to show only what they want you to see . “ Wyrm Lyfe is a threat , ” one former employee said . “ They practice it to convince people to work here , and they hold their platform over their competition like a gas . ”
at last , the gravest issue with Wyrm Lyfe may be that it throw off a bright spot on Bobby Downey and Doug Costello , to the point that their jobs and business is directly relate to how people comprehend them on YouTube .
The absolute focus that Downey has on being famous is apparent in his presence on Wyrm Lyfe , in merchandising and merch figure of speech , and his attendance at convention . “ He used to be a nice guy cable , ” said one former employee , “ but being in front of the camera so much change him . ” When anyone ties who they are to what they do so tight , they must be held accountable for their personal demeanor . And Downey ’s personal behavior is criminal .
Wyrmwood has poisoned their own waters
There are many rooter of Wyrmwood Gaming who will defend Doug Costello , Bobby Downey , and their management of Wyrmwood . Bumpus withdraw the love he beat from fans , saying that they fall in love with the fellowship … “ but it ’s all in love with the mental image the company want you to see . They do n’t see how we ’re being exploited and how we ’re working our buttocks off . How we ’re being told that this ship’s company is a family and you take to corroborate your family . But Wyrmwood is not going to take caution of you . ”
Paul Downs , the owner of a Pennsylvania cabinetmaking company and former writer of “ You ’re The Boss , ” a New York Times small line advice editorial , was at one sentence work on a rule book about Wyrmwood ; He slump to notice on Costello ’s behavior , but guard the right of the modest business enterprise owner to go his fellowship any way that he see fit .
And while that ’s lawful — Costello can run Wyrmwood any path he likes , even if that includes play down rubber concerns and disesteem womanhood — many past and present employees say that does n’t make it right-hand .
It ’s not right , they say , that Costello has lie to his employees , promise them raises when none were outgoing ; it ’s not right , they say , that he favors virile employee over his female ones ; it ’s not ripe , they say , that his store has hurt craftspeople ; it ’s not right , they say , that he has decided to fire employees rather of treating them fair ; it ’s not right , they say , that he has used Wyrm Lyfe to work up a cult of personality .
At every level , according to employee , Wyrmwood has failed to surmount to the demand of its customers and in a elbow room that adequately supports their employees . One current employee emphasize to io9 that while they screw their coworkers and they love what they make , management makes the shop class a hostile workplace . “ I just need a beneficial place to work , ” they order . “ But Doug makes that impossible . ”
The Wyrmwood customer who recognize all this and decide to purchase anyway are not rebels ; they are merely rewarding tough behavior . This automobile grind up tireless , low-spirited - neckband workers and spits them out , bloody and traumatise .
“ Everyone who ’s ever worked at Wyrmwood , they will tell you they loved their coworkers , and we built this comradeliness together , in spite of Doug Costello , ” say Ted Bumpus . “ So often our coworkers were our best Friend and household . And the direction takes reward of that . ”
On Friday , March 31 , Wyrmwood Gaming posted a public reaction to this article on their Twitter , which you may readhere .
Correction 3/28/23 10:50 pm ET : early versions of this article misspelled the surnames of Wyrmwood employee and partial possessor John “ Johnny ” Paquette , and former employee Andrew Oberbeck .
update 3/31/23 7:30 promethium ET add together a nexus to the Wyrmwood Gaming response posted on Twitter .
Updated 4/1/23 12:59 pm ET with selective information from the Wyrmwood Gaming response .
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