On the heels of a
crediting controversy, Mythic Entertainment is creating an online database that will list the names of all staff members who contribute to its projects, regardless of their present status with the studio.
Mythic had
garnered criticism from the International Game Developers Association for its decision to credit only those
Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning staffers who were with the studio at the time of the game's launch. While Mythic will still reserve in-game and manual credits for the launch team, it will list all contributors in the database it's currently developing, and will also make "best efforts" to provide credit information on its previous titles.
IGDA chairperson Jen MacLean apologized to Mythic co-founder and GM Mark Jacobs for comments she made in a recent IGDA newsletter that criticized Mythic's crediting decisions around
WAR.
MacLean now calls Jacobs a "strong proponent of the online games industry and an ethical businessman," and admits she released the previous newsletter without being aware of Mythic's efforts to develop new crediting policies.
"Unfortunately, when the previous newsletter was sent out, Mark, unbeknownst to the me, was quietly continuing to work on a new credit policy for the studio," writes MacLean. "Mark, I regret that my comments caused you personal and professional distress."
According to MacLean, Mythic will work with the IGDA, other industry history and credit sites and other interested organizations to establish a "credits feed" intended to promote fair and accurate crediting industry-wide. Jacobs will also consult with the
IGDA's Credits Standard Committee on MMO-specific issues.
"Fair and accurate credits and transparent standards for crediting remain a pervasive problem in the industry, and I applaud Mythic for taking steps to address this issue," says MacLean.
"I'm personally looking forward to Mark's involvement with the Credit Standards Committee, not only because of his depth of experience in online games, but because, more importantly, his personal commitment to fair and accurate credits sets an outstanding example for industry leadership."
