Things only seem to be going from bad to worse for Motorsport Games as Insider Gaming has learned that developers from the company are threatening a lawsuit over unpaid wages.
Sources within the company have provided Insider Gaming with months of requests and pleas as to when employees will be paid. It’s understood that around 30 Russian employees at Motorsport Games have not been paid since October.
The constant ignorance and lack of communication from Motorsport Games have left the employees to request that if “all debts of the company to employees from the NASCAR team are not paid by January 25”, a lawsuit against Motorsport Games would be filed.
The grounds of that lawsuit would be a non-payment of salaries as well as “forcing employees to sign the termination of an employment contract”.
Payment problems first originated in October, when Motorsport Games said it could no longer pay its Russian employees due to the war against Ukraine. Motorsport Games proceeded to move its Moscow office to Georgia and offered employees the chance to move.
Although relocation isn’t uncommon for developers, Motorsport Games did not offer any compensation for the move and said that employees would have to relocate on their own. In addition, new contracts were offered to those who could move to Georgia, which included reducing wages in comparison with their Russian salaries which were around 20% less.
It’s understood that even those who were able to relocate to Georgia are also struggling to be paid, some of whom relocated with their families.
We reached out to get more information on what the claim about forcing employees to sign a termination of employment meant. As of now, however, no other details have been provided.
One source within the team did say that developers had been told that payment was coming for months, but nothing has come.
“Every time it’s brought up again, there are excuses being made,” the source said.
Just recently, an Insider Gaming exclusive detailed what has been going on inside Motorsport Games for months regarding development and overall management.
Insider Gaming has reached out to Motorsport Games for official comment on the lawsuit threat, and will update the story should one be received.
For more Insider Gaming, check out our story on Starfield “exceed expectations”.
