Metroid Dread was arguably the standout release on the Nintendo Switch last year. Since then, it's won awards, received updates, and last we checked - was on the cusp of becoming the best-selling Metroid game of all time.
Spanish developer MercurySteam has now revealed its next project - a multiplatform third-person "dark-fantasy" RPG. It is a new chapter for the company, and with this in mind, not everyone who developed the award-winning Metroid Dread will be hanging around.
Metroid Dread senior gameplay and player programmer, Carlos Fraguas Pizarro, has announced he's left his role at MercurySteam after almost seven years. Although he's been about since the development of Metroid: Samus Returns for 3DS, according to his LinkedIn, he was working on MecurySteam's online free-to-play title Spacelords at the time.
He announced this career update on Twitter - stating how it was "one of the most difficult decisions" he's had to make. At the same time, he revealed he would be moving onto Digital Legends Entertainment - another Spanish developer that has just announced it is building Call of Duty: Warzone for mobile devices.
Well, time for an update! This was one of the most difficult decisions I've had to take, but I've recently quit my job @mercurysteam. I've been very fortunate to share these years with an amazing group of incredibly talented humans, who have gifted me the chance to grow myself and develop games I'm really proud of.
Want to reflect on something, though. You know I'm a big Nintendo fan and a Metroid one in particular. Working on Metroid Dread, and more so as a Player Programmer, has been like a life time achievement. We've poured our hearts on it and tried to make it the best possible. Continuing the legacy of this IP I've loved for so many years while adding some personal touches is something I can't describe with words.
I want to thank the whole team for their commitment and all of the community for the love and praise the game has received. And a special thank you to the speedrunning community! Finally, let me highlight two individuals, from the dozens to whom I'm in debt: @thenend (MS gameplay programmer) and @stehcnics (MS lead programmer). They've taught me a whole lot about gameplay feel, player centric design and how to become a great lead. Thank you.
This news follows on from MercurySteam's update yesterday - revealing its Metroid Dread Game Award for best action/adventure had finally arrived at its office.
On behalf of the community here at Nintendo Life, we wish Carlos all the best in his new role at Digital Legends.
Comments 51
…well that’s quite the downgrade, isn’t it?
Of course he is leaving... i'm spanish, and Mercury Steam working conditions are so BAD, that most of its employees leave the company sooner than later.
ummm… WHAT? You chose hamburger when you could’ve had steak! You chose boxed Mac and cheese when you could’ve had homemade ooey-gooey Mac and cheese!
… who knows I’m sure they had to have a REALLY good reason for this but that’s jarring to read.
@ChromaticDracula Nobody wants to live a horrible life due to their working conditions. One things is loving creating videogames, and other being crushed by your company. If he made this decision, it's because he thinks life is going to be better there.
Yeap sometimes ya gotta do what's best for you and not the business. Wish him the best of luck in his new endeavor.
Best of luck to him but UGH if only he was going to use his talent for making better games instead of this junk.
Funny how call of duty servers still running but we can't get a release for advanced wars.
@Jumping_Dead i wont disregard your opinion since you seem to know more about it just from being from the same country, he spend 7+ years in there thou
Well good for him. Seems they weren't too nice to their workers during the crunch for Dread...aptly named as I'm sure they all dreaded going there.
I'll definitely check out warzone mobile as the one out now is pretty damn impressive for a mobile game.
@ChromaticDracula
I won’t stand for this slander of Kraft mac&cheese. Retract your comment now.
I hope if the next 2D Metroid is by MercurySteam (no doubt it will be) that the work conditions have improved ten fold, was sad to hear that a game that brought me so much joy was apparently hell to make for the folk involved
“Call Of Duty: Wazone”
Is this the version of the game with exclusive Wario and Waluigi appearances?
@blindsquarel 😂 I will do no such thing! I will say that I do love the Annie’s Mac and cheese even more. It’s just different enough where I crave it.
@Jumping_Dead If that’s why they left then I would back them 100% of the way. I went through the same thing with my last job. They threw an offer with a large sum of money at me but I still turned it down because my mental health was being bludgeoned to death.
"It was difficult but I decided that I wanted a lot of money."
@blindsquarel I'm with @ChromaticDracula Annie's mac & cheese is superior to Kraft mac & cheese. Also the one with the cheese sauce is better than the powder by a long shot. Annie's also makes some great Teddy Grams knockoffs.
On topic though, best of luck to Mr. Pizarro with his new endeavors. Kinda wish he stuck around the Nintendo sphere though.
Wuh-oh! Your setting yourself up for backlash! O_O
I hope that nintendo stops the poor working conditions at mercurysteam, as nobody likes hearing that their favorite game was made under poor working conditions
@ChromaticDracula ....I don't like steak. lol
Anyways yeah, MercurySteam had...issues. Yes Dread was a good game, but it didn't even credit EVERYONE involved. That's just one problem.
Starting to sound more and more like Nintendo was wise not to buy up MercurySteam right away...
@OnlyItsMeReid Agreed. Still sad to see talent behind one of my favorite games get behind what I consider to be a trashy franchise – and a mobile version of it at that. It's his call though.
@Zorox88
A released product is much more difficult to control than an unreleased product. Shutting down servers would be a sign of respect, but also much more difficult to do than simply delaying a game's release.
Sounds like he was head hunted and the money was right. (Difficult decision my ass...)
Didn't know they were doing warzone for mobile I hope they don't incorporate it into cod mobile & ruin it like they did with modern warfare
That suck but I can't blame him for joining a better paying jobs, best of luck to him.
I am so shocked to see people still blindly hate COD. Thought that hate train died once Angry Birds arrived.
I'm sure Activision will treat him better...
We as the consumer only care about the product, but this guy has his own personal day-to-day. He needs to do what's right by him and his family with his career, whether it's better pay, better hours or whatever else he's after, same as everyone else on the planet who has the opportunity to improve their working life.
Activision is probably paying much better compared to Mercury Stream, so no surprise. People actually choose jobs based on what is best for them and their families, not based on fanboism, believe it or not.
Really weird that this is reported as news though. People change companies all the time, are we going to be getting an article for every employee that moves company?
No great loss, anyone who wants to make mobile games has no ambition
When we talk about preservation people want to protect these people from corporate companies controlling them and allowing their work to disappear. This is the reality people, I hope he has got himself a big fat paycheck for selling his work to a corporation.
This is not news. This happens all the time.
Yikes... He found the express elevator down...
If the working conditions at Mercury Steam are so bad... and a person from there thinks working at Activision is going to be better... you might wonder if conditions at Mercury Steam will improve very soon following that person leaving...
Sellout… shakes head
Not a big deal. Devs go where the money and projects are. They have to maintain and improve their skillset after all. This happens no matter the dev’s industry.
@Jumping_Dead You know things are BAD at MercurySteam when moving to Activision seems like a positive upgrade.
He used to make something now he makes nothing.
@Joeynator3000 Maybe Nintendo could buy up Mercury Steam and sort things out? I'm not sure how stuff like that works, but didn't they do that for Retro Studios?
Maybe he's going to earn more in Activision. It's all about money people!
Man, things must be really dire over at Mercurysteam if folks are leaving to work on friggin CoD Mobile.
Good for him. If that’s what’ll make him happy, go for it.
@PARK1755 Upgrade money wise for sure but yeah, personally I wouldn't want to work on a game I don't enjoy. I've had offers from Chinese companies more than doubling my salary but I'm not into mobile stuff at all.
@GeneJacket Says the guy with inside knowledge in MercurySteam, right? He simply left for the money, that's all there is to it. Or he got bored, game developers are not the type of people that want to work on the same thing all the time.
@Troll_Decimator oh are you a game developer? That’s sick.
Has anyone actually ever cited the “poor working conditions”? I know this all started snowballing when a couple of temp contractors were bitching they were not in the credits despite how little they were involved with + agreed to the contract prior about not being in credits
Highly likely the CoD gig gave more money which sounded more sweet then staying with Mercury which is usually one of the big factors people decide on when switching jobs. Doesn’t mean there was bad blood with previous job. He was there for 7+ years and hasn’t said anything related to “poor work condition”. People these days are paranoid that thinks every other company is Blizzard or something
@Arawn93 Guaranteed, not just likely. MercurySteam is in Spain, and obviously don't have the same revenue as CoD. Their salaries are not on the same ballpark at all, they can't compete. It's a combination of more money and just something different. 7 years working on the exact same type of game can be a bit tiresome. Gamers don't get this at all because games are not their job.
@Ogbert 100% correct. It happens every single day. He's a lead programmer and no one's ever heard of him (like most game developers). Dude, obviously, wanted to self-promote.
I wish him well, but... Yea the first comment sums it up nicely.
He goes from a fantastic game to a crap game...ah well.
What a downgrade.
@ATaco Quantity of Quality =/
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