Social media is in uproar as ex employees of Brandoville Studios, a now-defunct art studio are speaking out about a downright toxic work environment, particularly tied to the CEO’s wife Cherry Lai.
One employee, Christa has compiled a document collecting screenshots of internal messages highlighting their particular relationship with Cherry Lai- one of micromanagement and duress.
This isn’t even the first time Brandoville Studios has come under fire for its abusive conditions- the 2021 People Make Games documentary How Game Publishers Buy Crunch Overseas featured a lengthy segment on Brandoville, even highlighting Cherry Lai’s specific role in facilitating the abuse.
The video had serious ramifications on the internal staff at Brandoville Studios- at least one employee tells Nmia Gaming they were fired on suspicion of having been one of the anonymous testimonies in the documentary, something that just wasn’t true.
However, with the shutting down of Brandoville in August and the opening of a new studio under the same leadership, Lailai studios, employees are painting a very graphic picture of what their leadership entails.
Woking At Brandoville Studios Under Cherry Lai
The document, posted on Canva by Christa and shared around everywhere from Facebook to Twitter and even LinkedIn, features stories ranging from as far back as April 2023 to as recent as June 2024.
Looking through the documents, you’d expect of a creative company the usual minutia- sending files for approval, feedback et cetera- but the screenshots from the group chat paint a much more oppressive picture, as employees are made to basically grovel over every slight to Cherry Lai.
“Ask more polite and how I like”, she writes, as the employee is being made to write multiple text messages asking for permission to call their superior.
Another former employee, T, tells Nmia Gaming that this specific brand of groveling was simply part of Brandoville Studios ‘ culture.
“That’s the culture. We needed to do that, otherwise, she wouldn’t stop”, T says.
They’re also being summoned over to the offices at unorthodox hours- Christa was made to swear she’s available at any time for her employer, being called over at 2am.
This doesn’t even involve work related duties, mind you- Christa says she was called in to bring her boss a Coke.
In another, Christa is made to slap herself repeatedly- sending a video in to proof before being allowed to come into work.
“Hi Ms Cherry, noted will do I would like to report that I have slapped myself 100 times and on my way to BVS thank you”, the employee adds, featuring a degrading video of Christa being made to self-flagellate.
This isn’t even the only case of it- an account by other employees say Christa would be made to hit her head in the wall, while another member of the team was also made to hit himself for bad work.
T says that no all employees were bullied to this extent- it was reserved for those from particular backgrounds.
“It’s usually the ones she can influence to leave their family”, T explains. “She’s really into our family background. Especially those that came from singe families, she targeted these employees”.
A Culture Of Bullying At Brandoville Studios
Of course, the extent of abuse alleged by the employees themselves goes far beyond a Whatsapp message- the same document accuses Brandoville Studios of witholding a Hari Raya bonus given out every year, with Cherry Lai claiming it a recoup of her investment in the talent.
Other employees would also get their salaries deducted- sometimes retroactively, with employees being made to pay back what they were owed.
Christa said she was made to move homes and even barred from contacting her family- the kind of behavior you’d see in a cult instead of a studio.
That’s not even the only major document being circulated- in another, an employee confesses to being made to throw out the cellphone of an employee who upset Cherry Lai, along with a photo of said employee holding up the smashed phone.
No Response From Former Management
It’s important to note that of all the employees Nmia Gaming has spoken to none could actually name an official position held by Cherry Lai- while she was married to Brandoville Studios CEO Ken Lai and handled official communications nobody actually had a title for her.
Speaking of her husband, T insisted Ken Lai was aware of the abuse at the hands of his wife, though simply allowed it to happen.
Following the allegations, Cherry Lai herself could not be reached for comment, having deleted all her social media channels. Ken Lai has been reached for comment and it will be appended here if he responds.
Brandoville Studios was originally an offshoot of Malaysia’s own Lemon Sky Studios, but had splintered off to become its own thing shortly after.
