21 freelance writers for the mobile Otome series Lovestruck: Choose Your Own Romance confirmed in an official statement that their contracts have not been terminated.
The group of “completely women, non-binary, and LGBTQ” writers took a stance via Tumblr in mid-July under the name Voltage Organized Workers (VOW) to demand “better working conditions, greater transparency, and increased protections.”
“We are also all fans of the app, and we care deeply about the stories we tell. However, not only are we paid less than half the industry standard rate, we are asked to meet extremely tight deadlines and produce enormous amounts of content without protections or benefits,” reads the statement. “We want to see our hard work and commitment to authentic storytelling given the value it deserves.”
These requests were brought to the attention of Lovestruck’s parent organization Voltage USA amid near industry-wide growth but were ultimately rejected by management. “We asked the management of Voltage USA to recognize us and meet our demands, and since management has refused, we will be going on strike.” The prepared statement announcing the collective action of VOW member writers was also shared in a thread on Twitter:
Widespread support of the movement was echoed throughout the community’s fanbase. “I hope you’re able to get better conditions asap, max support for you all. Thank you for putting your heart into the Otome genre, you deserve so much better!” says Vialixia on Twitter.
The Tokyo-based team responsible for Lovestruck posted a statement on the game’s official website expressing their attempts to negotiate contracts on an individual basis. The writers refused offers for individual agreements multiple times and began campaigning on social media “within 20 minutes” of the initial rejection, according to Lovestruck. “With no resolution in sight, the company must move forward.” The company also states that, “new writers rates are in place,” which was originally taken to mean that the current team of freelancers was let go—a response that was universally decried by both supporters and bystanders of the initiative.
VOW members used their fledgling of a platform on Twitter to clarify the situation. “None of our 21 Lovestruck writers have had their contracts terminated and we are surprised by the company’s statements,” reads the watermarked graphic.
Lovestruck has nearly 22 million active users, as reported by Polygon. The game’s wild popularity should be reflected in employee wages, but Lovestruck’s producers purport that VOW members have no legal standing to enter a negotiation. The title’s independent contractors are not permitted to unionize under federal labor laws and, therefore, are in no position to collectively bargain for wages or benefits. In the eyes of the production team, refusal to work and attempts to organize collectively are breaches of each writer’s willfully signed, individual contract. In summary, by raising wages and offering reassessments of individual contracts, Lovestruck feels that they have been more than fair in their handling of the situation.
“We apologize for our role in the delay of content you so dearly love,” finishes the statement. “We thank you for your support and patience as we work to accommodate recent changes.”
