A job posting from a small Polish studio is currently going viral. It mentions mandatory sauna visits. The boss states that employees need the experience to understand the game.
What kind of requirement was that? A Polish game developer is currently causing a stir with an unusual condition for his employees. In a job posting from Spectrum Studios for an Art Director, it states under “Requirements”: “Participation in sauna sessions (non-negotiable)”.
This requirement is justified by the statement that “the whole team must understand the product.” According to the job posting, the game is supposed to follow a sauna master and combine elements from games like Life is Strange, Final Fantasy, and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2.
A realistic gaming experience is a major goal for many developers. Here we present a technology that aims to make this possible – the possibilities in combination with a sauna simulator are virtually endless.
Discussion on LinkedIn goes viral
How did this come to light? The bizarre requirement received attention through a post by recruiter Patryk Suchy on LinkedIn. The post shows the job posting and an exchange between the studio head and a potential employee.
A screenshot shows the response from Narrative Designer Aleksandra Wolna to a job offer from studio head Jacek Piórkowski. In her response, she states that the demand for naked sauna visits was a dealbreaker for her.
Piórkowski responds: “You had plenty of time to prove me wrong. Writing a sauna scene without being in the sauna. […] Instead, we waste time on social media.” He also explained that his “narrative girls” would have needed to go to the sauna to create a “fantastic script.”
However, he admits that one could theoretically work without firsthand experience. The studio head, however, is excited about how they “could have used their experiences. “
“I’ve seen a lot of crap, but this is a new low”
How is this being received? Suchy himself writes about his post: “I’ve seen a lot of crap in this industry, but I didn’t expect this new low.” A post on X regarding the situation reached over 855,000 users. The comments are filled with disbelief:
- “Extremely unprofessional and repulsive individual.” (via X)
- “What I take away from all this is… Ugh.” (via X)
- “Wow, what a creep.” (via X)
Studio head explains himself
What does the boss say about it? Piórkowski justifies his requirement by stating that they are working on a game about saunas. He doesn’t want to waste time explaining the differences between various types of saunas.
In another post, he explained that it is not about getting undressed but about experiencing “a different kind of sauna.” Towels pose a risk for fungal infections.
In a video statement, Piórkowski again took the opportunity to explain his point of view. The entire video can be watched in Polish on LinkedIn.
According to a summary on the website GamePressure, the studio head explains in his statement that he misspoke and emphasizes that there is no mandatory nudity during sauna visits. He also stated that his presence is not mandatory; he even offered to organize all-female events.
After her exchange with the studio head went viral, Wolna spoke on LinkedIn to thank users for their support. At the same time, she pointed out that she initially wanted to draw attention to a completely different situation that many employees in the gaming industry are currently struggling with: studio closures and layoffs, as currently happening with the Swedish strategy geniuses at Paradox.
