Gunzilla Games, the studio behind the NFT battle royale title "Off the Grid" and instrumental in the resurgence of "Game Informer," is currently embroiled in controversy. Numerous individuals, including former employees and contractors, have come forward with allegations of significant payment delays, some claiming to have gone months without receiving their due compensation. The company's CEO, Vlad Korolev, addressed these accusations, admitting that some payments might be strategically scheduled to align with the company's financial liquidity. However, he also categorized many of the complainants as "haters" who, according to him, lack understanding of business operations and seek to undermine the company's success.

This situation underscores broader financial challenges potentially impacting the gaming industry, particularly those ventures involving emerging technologies like Web3. While the company maintains its commitment to honoring all obligations, the conflicting narratives between management and former staff members highlight the precarious nature of employment relationships in a rapidly evolving sector, where innovative projects often face intense scrutiny and financial pressures.

Disputed Payments and Employee Grievances

The controversy surrounding Gunzilla Games escalated with public statements from former staff members on platforms like LinkedIn. Paul Creamer, a former senior animator, openly stated that Gunzilla Games had failed to compensate its employees for an extended period, despite expecting them to continue working. He reported not receiving payment since October 2025, with some colleagues experiencing even longer delays. Creamer recounted a December meeting where CEO Vlad Korolev assured his department that invoices would be settled promptly and that the company was profitable, urging discretion. However, Creamer alleged that these assurances proved false, with the company subsequently ignoring inquiries and attempting to suppress discussions about the payment issues.

Further corroboration came from Anna Savina, former head of talent acquisition, who detailed a similar experience of being owed several months' worth of wages after three years of employment. Other former QA engineers, Oleksii Zhestianenko and Anton Palii, also shared their stories of delayed and withheld payments, with Palii claiming his termination followed a confrontation with the CEO over outstanding wages. Illia Metelskyi, another ex-QA staffer, quit after two months of non-payment and alleges the company severed all contact, only to be offered payment five months later, which he claims he never received.

CEO's Defense and Company Performance

In response to the mounting allegations, Gunzilla CEO Vlad Korolev issued a statement defending the company's practices and downplaying the severity of the payment issues for "official" full-time employees, claiming their salaries were rarely delayed by more than a week. This assertion, however, contrasts with the accounts of individuals like Anna Savina, who identified as a full-time employee and reported significant unpaid wages. Korolev largely focused on the achievements of "Off the Grid" and the broader Web3 gaming landscape, dismissing critics as "haters" who spread "fear, uncertainty, and doubt" (FUD) without fully comprehending the complexities of game development and business management.

He acknowledged that cost optimization measures, common across the gaming, crypto, and tech industries, necessitated flexible payment scheduling to maintain operational continuity, especially for contractors. While emphasizing the company's commitment to its obligations and the protection of its full-time staff, Korolev also hinted at a demanding work culture, noting that employees never worked in a "work-life balance" mode. One specific contractor, described as a "loudest voice" who had recently left, was reportedly paid immediately following their complaints. Despite mixed user reviews on platforms like Steam, "Off the Grid" maintains a consistent player base across various platforms, suggesting a degree of commercial viability, even as its associated NFT currency, the Gunz token, experienced a sharp decline in value post-launch with no significant recovery.