Omocat, an art studio and video game developer based in Los Angeles, has recently come under scrutiny for alleged mistreatment of former employees as the Twitter post of Melon Kid went viral
A former team member, Melon, took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to claim that they were subjected to overwork without proper compensation in terms of bonuses and royalties, as initially promised.
Omocat and Melon controversy drama explained as Shota posts go viral on Twitter and Reddit
As these accusations gained traction, discussions around Omocat’s past social media activity, particularly concerning Shota-related content, resurfaced online.
A Reddit user, u/starsmileyx, brought attention to the issue on the r/OMORI subreddit, stating, “The main developer of OMORI has been accused of mistreating her staff and developers on the development of OMORI, including overworking at least one employee and underpaying multiple employees.”
You ignored my request for private conversation for three years. Why?
You wrote two paragraphs of not listening to me. The overworking is on me, as well some of the fallout afterwards. My problem was that you belittled me constantly in person for not performing when I got sick. https://t.co/5XRLbzBl4h
— Melon Kid (@animegirlcrimes) December 8, 2023
Online Buzz
The allegations spread across social media platforms, with user @RosenDice sharing Omocat’s earlier posts.
Some of these included controversial statements like, “I love anime and everything problematic about it” and expressing unconventional thoughts such as, “I wish I was a drifloon so I could steal children.”
Further, a tweet from 2014 revealed a mention of Shota and complaints from a shipping company. Shota, in the Japanese context, refers to an attraction to young boy characters presented in a suggestive manner, often seen in anime.
On December 8, 2023, Melon disclosed that they joined the Omori team in 2019, initially working long hours willingly but eventually experiencing burnout.
Allegedly, Omocat treated Melon poorly, demanding a doctor’s note for their inability to work and retracting promised royalties just before a game launch. An anonymous former employee also shared grievances, citing instances of narcissism, poor treatment of friends, and an entitlement to others’ time and attention.
This employee claimed to have been fired as an online shop manager for not meeting expectations, with Omocat withholding their last month’s pay. Team members like Cachi Cordova and Nils Omnia defended Omocat, accusing Melon of lying. Omnia claimed Melon was paid for overtime work and accused them of antagonizing and belittling team members.
Omocat responded to the allegations on December 8, apologizing for not preventing Melon’s overwork and addressing the burnout by encouraging a doctor’s visit. Regarding the withdrawn royalties, Omocat cited breaches of contract, including overwriting code and unapproved content addition.
Melon continued updating followers with conversations, and the situation remains ongoing at the time of writing.
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