Animation firm involved in blockbuster video games under probe by Indonesian police for alleged workers abuse

JAKARTA: A Jakarta-based animation studio involved in the production of several blockbuster video games has come under police investigation for alleged workers abuse and exploitation, including on a pregnant woman who subsequently miscarried.

This comes even as authorities are searching for other former employees who may have been similar victims of workplace abuse. 

Brandoville Studios reportedly helped produce several high-profile projects, including AAA games such as “Final Fantasy VII Rebirth”, “ The Last of Us Part 1”, “Spider-Man: Miles Morales”, “Uncharted” and “NBA 2K17”.

AAA games is a classification typically used in the video games industry to signify high-budget and high-profile games that are produced by large and well-known distributors. 

The Indonesian firm, which employed around 80 staff members and had a branch in Hong Kong, was co-owned by husband-and-wife Chinese nationals Ken Lai and Cherry Lai.

The firm, however, announced its closure on its Facebook page last month. 

The police investigation came on the heels of viral claims made by former employees on social media of verbal and physical abuses, excessive working hours, threats and manipulation.

A former employee with the initials CS alleged on the social media platform X that she suffered a miscarriage due to the harsh treatment she received. After losing her foetus, CS alleged that Ms Lai scolded her for not showing up to work.

CS told investigative media publication Tempo that Ms Lai would force her to perform corporal punishment and eventually started directly abusing her physically.

"Once she punished me by ordering me to run up and down the stairs (five storeys tall) within the time she set, every time I passed the time limit I had to repeat the process. In total that night I ran 45 times," CS told Tempo on Sunday (Sep 15).

The 27-year-old claimed that she was working 20-hour days, and was constantly monitored and restricted in her movements, to the point that she was forced to rent a room near her office from January 2022 to October 2023.

"Apparently it was because she wanted to be able to contact me anytime for 24 hours a week to be on standby at the office and isolate me from my family," said CS.

"If I was even one minute late (for work), she would punish me," she added.

Having had to leave for work at 5am in the morning and go home late at night - if at all - the alleged victim said she did not see sunlight for months.

"I was Vitamin D-deficient, dependent on supplements, and my digestive system and metabolism were severely affected by the forced lack of sleep," CS said.

The former employee further alleged that Ms Lai started physically abusing her in June 2024 when she got angry over her artwork.

"She had approved the sketch, when we sent her the final version. Cherry suddenly got angry, spat out vulgarities in the group chat and then called me to the office even though it was Sunday," said CS, alleging further physical abuse and threats, before making a police report on Sep 5. 

Meanwhile, Tempo reported of another incident where Ms Lai was alleged to have instructed a staff member to punch his colleague as punishment for a mistake.

Central Jakarta Police Chief Commissioner Susatyo Purnomo Condro said that a special team has been formed to investigate the allegations of abuse and exploitation at the firm, the Jakarta Globe reported. 

Mr Muhammad Firdaus - head of the Central Jakarta Police's Criminal Investigation Unit - said the authorities are currently searching for employees who were victims of the alleged abuse to collect their testimonies and are encouraging them to file reports.

"The Brandoville Studios office has been closed since July 2024, and the premises are now unoccupied. Witnesses have reported that in July 2024, three domestic workers, two men, and one woman, were seen leaving the office," Mr Firdaus told reporters on Sep 14.

On its Facebook page, Brandoville Studios announced its closure on Aug 17.

“To our devoted team - thank you for your unwavering commitment, creativity, and passion. You’ve been the driving force behind every achievement, and we couldn’t be more proud of what we’ve accomplished together,” it said.

Despite the closure, the Lai couple have reportedly opened a new business under a different name, according to local media reports.