My Problems With Nick Calandra (and Why I Believe He Shouldn't Work In Games Media)

Summary

The video script is a detailed account of the creator's experience and subsequent resignation from a games media group due to the unethical behavior and mismanagement of its leader, Nick. It addresses concerns about Nick's actions, including overpromising, overspending, and underdelivering, which led to financial losses and staff layoffs. The creator also refutes claims of an 'alt-right grift' and calls for Nick's resignation to protect the integrity of the team and the industry.

Takeaways

• 📢 The video is an address to the SSG community, developers, and media members, acknowledging the support and informing them about internal issues.
• 🙏 The speaker expresses gratitude for the success attributed to the community and feels a responsibility to share the unfolding events.
• 🤔 The video anticipates and addresses potential misconceptions about the situation, particularly regarding the resignations and the character of Nick.
• 💥 The speaker outlines the issues with Nick, including overpromising, overspending, and underdelivering, which led to financial strain and layoffs.
• 🔥 It is revealed that Nick's actions have caused a significant loss in revenue and have put many jobs at risk due to his management style.
• 👥 The resignations were not in solidarity with Nick, but rather due to the realization that the executives were planning to fire Nick and offer others more creative freedom.
• 🚫 The speaker refutes the claim that the situation is an 'alt-right grift' and emphasizes that the critique is specifically targeted at Nick's unethical behavior.
• 💼 The video details Nick's manipulative tactics in the workplace, including micromanagement, verbal attacks, and misrepresentation of audience feedback.
• 📉 Nick's history of unethical behavior in the gaming industry is highlighted, including undisclosed financial interests and trading positive press for personal gain.
• 🏠 The speaker discusses Nick's sense of entitlement and resentment, which have contributed to his problematic behavior and grudges in the industry.
• 🔄 The video concludes by emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability in the industry and calls for Nick's resignation to protect the reputation of the team.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the video?

The video is intended to inform the SSG community, developers, and media members about the issues surrounding Nick, the resignations, and the state of the company.

Why did the video creator feel compelled to make this video?

The creator felt a sense of obligation to the community and stakeholders who have supported them, believing they are entitled to know the truth about the situation.

What were the two main hang-ups the video creator anticipated people might have?

The first hang-up is questioning why everyone resigned with Nick if he was so bad. The second is the suspicion that this could be some kind of alt-right grift attack against Nick.

What was the initial reason for the video creator's resignation from SSG?

The creator resigned due to problems with Nick and SSG's management, including financial mismanagement and unethical behavior.

How did Nick's actions affect the financial situation of SSG?

Nick's actions led to a significant increase in costs, with the company losing around 30 to 60 thousand per month on the YouTube side alone, and driving up costs by over 70% since the start of the year.

What was the situation with the Escapist video team after the resignations?

Only three people, including the video creator, were allowed to resign as they were deemed profitable. Everyone else was fired due to Nick's financial mismanagement.

What was the reaction of the rest of the team to Nick's behavior?

The team was unaware of the full extent of Nick's actions and the fact that Gamers was planning to sack him. They felt betrayed when they found out that Nick had thrown them under the bus.

What is the video creator's stance on the claim that this is an alt-right grift attack against Nick?

The creator denies this claim, stating that Nick has upset people with various ideologies and that the intent of the video is to highlight Nick's unethical behavior in the gaming media industry.

What actions did Nick take that the video creator found particularly unethical?

Nick was involved in underhanded dealings such as misrepresenting audience feedback, manipulating co-workers, blackballing developers, and trading positive press for personal favors and opportunities.

How did the video creator's perception of Nick change after resignation?

After resignation, the creator discovered more about Nick's history of unethical behavior, including taking press equipment for personal use and using his personal Steam account for press codes meant for the publications he worked for.

What is the video creator's ultimate goal in releasing this video?

The creator aims to expose Nick's unethical behavior and to call for his resignation from SSG, believing that his actions are against the ideals they claim to stand for as a business.