The CEO of Gunzilla Games, studio behind NFT battle royale Off the Grid, has publicly fired back at former employees who claim the studio failed to pay workers on time. The response came in the form of a lengthy post on X, which Rock Paper Shotgun reports managed to simultaneously invoke the word 'haters' and include an apology in the same statement.

According to Rock Paper Shotgun's coverage, the CEO described criticism from former staff as 'a new narrative from haters,' while also asserting that full-time employee salaries 'have never been delayed by more than a week.' The choice to frame a week-long pay delay as a defense rather than an admission is... a choice.

The tweet apparently contains the line 'Haters keep making predictions. We keep delivering' alongside what reads as a genuine apology for any inconvenience caused. The tonal whiplash in a single public statement is striking, mixing defiance with damage control in a way that rarely lands well in either direction.

Context matters here

Off the Grid launched into early access in late 2024 and attracted significant attention, partly for its gameplay and partly for its controversial integration of NFT and blockchain mechanics. The studio has positioned itself aggressively in the Web3 gaming space, which already keeps it under a sharper microscope than most developers.

Allegations of delayed payments from former employees are serious regardless of the circumstances. A 'less than a week' delay may sound minor from an executive's perspective, but for workers - particularly contractors or those in regions with tighter financial margins - even short payment delays can create real hardship.

The broader pattern of how Gunzilla communicates publicly is worth watching. Responding to labor concerns by leading with 'haters' framing rather than straightforward accountability rarely reassures the people raising the concerns, or the wider industry audience paying attention.

Rock Paper Shotgun's full coverage includes additional context on the CEO's post and the original allegations from former staff.