This is the most important metazoo video on YT to date. Phenomenal reporting, goes directly to the incredibly unethical behavior we’ve all suspected. Thank you for your courage and for giving the artists a voice. MZ won’t be seeing a dime from me for a good long while.
That’s it, after watching this video I’ve made up my mind. I’m DONE with Metazoo until Andy is either FIRED or steps down to a role that allows him very little control of the company. Listening to this makes me furious. Mike, WAKE UP please and do what’s right to save MetaZoo. Get rid of Andy!
There is a rumor and I would really like to know this after listening to this video. That Steve aoki sold his share of the company to Andy. Andy comes from wealth and he bought him out. If that's actually true then unfortunately firing him won't be possible.
@TriWaZe I did hear that. Again it's just a rumor and 100% could be false. It's just weird Aoki doesn't really talk about MZ and at the same time Andy becomes president. Idk again could just be that Aoki doesn't have anything to say right now. I hope that is not the truth because if it is then yes Andy technically can't be "Fired" he could step down but that is up to him.
To all the artist past and present thank you all. For your time and artwork. I wish you all the best and I'm sure the entire metazoo community wishes you the best.
I was a close partner with Metazoo for less than a year and I’m glad it’s finally come to air on how they operate behind the scenes as a company. I got nothing but love for the artists and glad they decided to do this
Well done getting the facts . Makes sense, I would of left as well. Feel horrible for the artists. Even if you wanted to stay you couldn't. Artists need side hustles and should be allowed to do as they please. The artists are amazing. Shout out to all the artists.....thank you for all your hard work. Lets.get rid of this Andy guy and get our artists back. Let's pay the players . Let's lower print runs. Lets.get product out on time. There......all problems solved.
I’ll consider checking MZ out again once Andy’s gone. Seems like a simple solution at this point. None of this surprises me either especially since they can’t even follow through with promises made before 2024.
Great video legend. Glad to finally get some info out there on what happened and is happening at MetaZoo. I think we all feel nothing will change until a restructure occurs...
This is what Mike said back in 2022: "For full transparency, our artists are paid $380 for each card art! I will update you all annually on this number as it steadily increases."
I know Andy is mentioned a lot here but the person completely responsible for this disaster is Mike. When you hire an incompetent bum that is on you. That person clearly had no ability to run any business and has the intelligence of a turnip, yet he was put into that position by Mike. As previously said this company need to be sold. There is no other way out.
He was Mikes buddy, that's his qualification. He sure likes to talk about his car collection, yet refuses to pay his artists a living wage. This is what happens when businesses are run by immature tech bros and not consummate professionals.
First-hand experience here. Metazoo artists have left due to the poor treatment since the company began, before Andy even came on board - surprised that wasn't mentioned as at least one big name comes to mind... does nobody wonder what happened with all the artists before 2023? Let me give you a brief overview: If you think the artists' pay from last year was bad you should have seen the pay in 2021. Double digits for some work. If you fought for better pay you were bullied and told that working for a company as great as Metazoo should be the reward in and of itself. Not only was the pay abysmal but you had no rights to anything you submitted to the company, even concept sketches, so if you gave them 10 sketches and they picked one, they'd still own all 10 and pay you as if you only gave them one. This is not unusual when working for big studios but you are compensated appropriately at other companies. Art contest was treated the same - you were expected to shut up and receive whatever they decided on, even though they kept changing what the artists would receive as compensation. Any inquiries into the prizes were met with the same attitude of "it's a privilege to work for Metazoo" The winners received copies of their own cards AFTER the general public which never sat right with me. The rot is deep and the disrespect for artists has been a lifelong company policy.
10 sketches? that's like 10 full arts for the "great" Metazoo company. sorry if it's your work but man, it rivals Chris Chan's and it's a wonder you got paid at all.... unless you had to draw with your left hand to be on par of the high Metazoo standards, in that case, respect.
Appreciate you putting this video together Nick. It is important for these details to be shared by the collective group of artists who couldn't really do so on their own. Knew you would do a great job being their voice
Not allowing your PART-TIME employees to seek other work is absurd. If you’re going to piece-pay your artists, you shouldn’t feel entitled to hold them hostage Allow them to sign any card/art at any event and allow them to speak on their work and work for other brands simultaneously… if you can’t afford full time employees then be flexible… this is all so avoidable
Yeah, Pokémon does this because they are a huge franchise and I’m sure pay their artist handsomely. Who do these people think they are? I just did some GTA five mods for a large company and I’m having trouble with the wire transfer for the last payment, it’s frustrating, but I know I will get my money. I can’t imagine how these artists feel.
Andy needs to be promoted to sit on a dunk tank. If Andy is removed as president and the artists brought back with better fair pay, the community would be revived instantly.
Shining light on things like this are always necessary to move forward or correct the issues. Every job I ever left was due to feeling just like these artists and having similar experiences as far as pay or unfair treatments.
I just want to say, your reporting is amazing and thank you 🙏. Please get involved with the other TCGs cause your on point and a necessary unbiased voice in my opinion.
Damn the situations with the artists and Andy's behavior is even worse than I thought it could be. Andy is a douche, just gonna say it. Terrible guy, terrible management. No wonder MZ is where it's at today. Sad
Great video, thanks for sharing this with us. It sounds like Metazoo needs to replace some of the people that are currently in management roles with people who are actually competent at their jobs. If Andy really is the core reason as to why the Metazoo artists left and if he is responsible for some of the communication issues that have been going on for some time now, then I am utterly shocked that he hasn't been fired yet. Personally, if I was in charge of the company, I would not let that slide and I would of removed him from the company a long time ago.
It’s all about bad management. If Sanrio reject those artworks, make those rejected artworks into different set like: Metazoo Rejects. If you want artists to be contractors, they should be allowed to take side jobs or other artworks for other companies. If you want exclusive artists, pay them minimum or guarantee wages and for any work they done, add extra money like bonus such as what you just mention.
Ultimately Mike in 100% responsible for what happens at his company. He should be aware of everything that is going on. We are at a crossroads where the choice is going to have to be made to either side with Andy or keep Metazoo Games afloat. If I were in Mikes position I would place Kris Kampman back as the head of the art division and remove Afton & Andy. He cannot tolerate the creation or participation of described behavior inside his business any longer. Its about time to make that sacrifice.
Can't blame them at all. There's absolutely no way an artist should have their income capped in such a fashion. That's really what this was - if there's exclusivity they aren't being paid for, a lack of projects, a price cut on their labor, and an inability to create supplemental income at events thrown by their exclusive business partner, what is the incentive to work for that employer? They may be able to make more *from Metazoo-related events* after ending their relationship than they made as artists for the company. That's ridiculous.
I'm sure there is probably a standard outline for how tcg artists get paid and I'm not sure how any of that works. That being said I CAN NOT believe the artists were not given salary on top of commissions or bonuses based on goals.... I think the original artists all the way up to CN1 should have 100% been paid salary and more... When you google how much do metazoo artist make it says it was mentioned in the discord they get paid $380 for each card art. As far as the invite only to events is INSANITY!!! That's a enormous red flag, especially considering there's not that many artists. Honestly I find it all together shocking they got paid so little. I think after the tcg blows up and NOT ONLY you don't give your artists raises, they LOWER their pay, I don't see a world where that wouldn't feel like a personal attack...
Thanks for all the updates on Metazoo. You’re my main source of information now regarding Metazoo. You’re logical and always unbiased which is really important. I really loved this community. I’m no longer buying anything, but I’m still curious as to what’s going on with the company. Thanks again
Instead of taking care of the artists who made Metazoo what it is, they cut their pay. Couldn’t have messed this up worse. I’ve loved Metazoo but that’s it, I’m out.
what I was thinking how it all went down. When can we have a live stream with all the artist who left? I think Nick should be first to get the exclusive. WoW on the latest thus far.
I was on about a 90 Minute 5 way call with them earlier about all this and they specifically requested I not record or post it. I don't think any of them want to be on the record directly for fear of retaliation
I feel like at this point maybe the best thing for MetaZoo is to be sold to a new owner, preferably one who has tcg experience. There’s definitely a salvageable IP if done properly
Having in-house artists getting paid on commission AND on a no-compete contract is a recipe for hurt feelings. Taking away someone ability to freely operate or seek gainful employment never works out. Free-lance commission work ends up working the best thing for both parties.
So allegedly, Andy is the problem. What is Andy qualification anyway to be awarded the president role? Does he have experience as an executive at a successful company?
I think Mike is an ideas guy that actually got an idea off the ground for 5 minutes. He seems to be splitting his focus immediately instead of getting the foundation of the business set before branching out.
When I started getting into to artist and signed cards in MtG one of the very first things I was taught was; They brought your game to life and make the characters real so their work is invaluable. Always take care of the artists who you love. Often they charged a couple bucks for a signature and an alternative was more, but we were always taught to tip our artists on top of it because they don't make a lot and need to make a living to keep doing the thing we love/ need. I cannot imagine not wanting to let them find more work or not letting them go to events for signatures. That part alone makes me the most upset. I was already on the fence about zoo, but this is unfair and just mean at the end of the day. Let them make their art, get paid fairly, give them an opportunity to sign but also build your brand. Smh....
biggest thing here that doesn't make sense is not allowing the artists to work for other companies. if they are not salaried, and you are giving them less work, why on earth would you block them from doing work elsewhere to pay the bills. Also... didnt know about the lambo thing. Not a good look.
This puts a really sour taste in my mouth about Metazoo, I can’t imagine how’d they redeem themselves at this point thanks for your coverage you’re doing the community at large a great service I hope you feel the appreciation.
DISCLAIMER: The following are my personal comments, opinions, feelings, and beliefs. I do not officially represent MetaZoo Games, their opinions, feelings, or beliefs. This is not an official message from MetaZoo Games. My comments here on this video are not a confirmation or denial of ANY of the thoughts, opinions, or beliefs held by any of the mentioned MetaZoo Games artists in the video. Yo Nick, I've been watching your RUclips channel for quite some time, and I just wanted to say that I really appreciate your passion for this hobby. It was the genuinely heartfelt fans like yourself, @Peeweez0, @Fizggig, and of course, the great @PurpleElfProductions (Miss ya man! Hope the Everquest grind is going well), that made my time working at MetaZoo Games so rewarding. Reflecting on my journey starting back in 2021, and even after stepping away last September, it's the community's passion that has always stood out above all else. I don't think I'll ever be speaking about MetaZoo Games again, but just wanted to say thanks. To you, the other voices, and to everyone who continues to care about this hobby.
Dang, was hoping you'd talk! You have the best Andy stories... @nick -- Many others were mistreated and quit before this wave of artists, including Digital Art Director (GreenStar, above), R&D Director (Kevin), OP Director (Damien), and Art Director (Victor Larson)
Wow a shoutout from left field! If you are who I think you are, thank you for everything you did for Metazoo and being a huge part of the cards and art we all got to enjoy. Man I miss Jeff as well, never have I seen a man so passionate and delve into madness after digging deeper behind the veil - it was crazy seeing his video progression and him at the end of his content creation for Metazoo have to get into gardening to get his sanity back again!
Wait, so basically things went to shit once Andy came on board? I'm starting to feel sorry for Mike because it sounds like Chaos Crystal Enthusiast ruined his company, but it also sounds like he made a pretty shit choice in hiring Andy in the first place and not like firing him once this stuff started to happen. I mean if Metazoo is going to continue it sounds like we all know what needs to happen 😏
I wouldn’t be surprised if Andy was only there to be the punching bag, and Mike was actually making all the decisions. They think they are a prestigious enough of a company to make artist exclusively make art for them? The Pokémon company does this, why does this guy keep thinking this game is as prestigious as the Pokémon tcg?
@@maze-nc1utI've only had bad encounters with Andy, mainly being gas-lit and him being passive aggressive, as well as him calling me "incredibly rude" in DMs, and then him deleting the message after calling him out on the gaslighting. (I have a screenshot of the pre-deleted message however) The guy is very abusive with his "powers" and egotistical, grew old very quickly. edit: for context, I was pushing for someone who won a bronze NFT token in a official mz giveaway who never received it to get it, they contacted Mike, Max, support, mods, Andy, anyone and everyone they could multiple times, including when one would say to contact a different person, they did and eventually everyone ghosted him after making him run circles. I brought this up with Andy in DMs , that it had been nearly a year since the giveaway, asking what was up with it, and he said, and I quote, "Wow. Incredibly rude. I'll bump support on this. Take care." After I told him making the winner run circles for nearly a year and ghosting him was "incredibly rude," he deleted the message likely as damage control, not sure (I took a screenshot if it however) but yeah. I know this is only an anecdote, but the guy's a jackass.
@@forevergrey that sucks man. Sorry to hear that. Something strange is happening with this company and it is fascinating to wonder what is going on and what will happen. I wouldn’t be surprised if they saw the writing on the wall months ago, and decided to pocket a bunch of money before it all fails for their troubles. The fact that they are not shelling out anymore cash To prominent people involved with the game is very strange.
Actually the potential money to have been made in the future would far outweigh the amount they could have scammed anyone for. I think that Andy was on his best behavior at the beginning but there may be a lot of manipulation going on. The pride that comes from success and power is sometimes not manageable for some people. @@maze-nc1ut
I can think of only one reason why those cool artists I met would leave a cool company like MetaZoo. That's money. They got a better offer elsewhere and they didn't make as much money as they expected. Art suplies cost money, and if artists want to keep doing art, they need to be paid fairly.
WOW! And here was me thinking that artists were getting salary + commission fee + a small percentage of revenue from product where their art was used on… This pay is so small, wow.. seems even I earn more by building some websites at my work pff.. No wonder they left, actually I’m amazed they stayed as long as they did. Andy dating Afton should’ve also not been allowed to happen. Super unprofessional of Andy. What if my boss would start dating a girl he hired.. hell no. Nick, thank you for making these AWESOME videos the last week!!! I’m super stoked when I see you upload some MZ content and these were absolute bangers to watch. You freaking legend 🙏 I will also STOP buying from MZ directly (so 2ndary market only) till either this video is PROPERLY & honestly addressed by Andy + Mike or that Andy is replaced as president. So much love to you Nick for how perfectly this was explained thank you!!!
Wow, the amount they pay the artists is shockingly low. And they only get paid if the art is accepted? WOW. I’m curious to know what the going rate of pay is in the TCG world in general
That Andy guy I never liked him since I met him at LA collect A con. Aside from it the artist leaving is also Mikes fault for not reaching out to the artist... it sounds like the artist tried to warned Mike about the situation with Andy and he ignored it. It could of been Mikes decision for all we know and put Andy as his puppet to not look bad... All I want to say is that all this could of been avoided if Mike would of replied or listen to the artist to make some corrections with Andys decisions. Now it just looks bad all the way around with Andy in the steering wheel, little to no artist and no one trusting Metazoo.... I will continue to support Metazoo because I fell in love with the game and cryptids. Really hope Mike puts his big boots on again and take the wheel back and clean all this mess as the creator and father of Metazoo....
Those workplace dynamics sound like every retail/hospitality workplace ever. Not saying it's right. But defs common in part time/casual heavy workplaces
Great video. As a former fan this information adds a lot of context to why it got to where it is today. It's important to note, Mike is a big problem for the PR of the company. He has damaged relations with the outside (fans). Andy seems to be what corrupted the inside (the company). It seems like the combination of these two things created a very toxic brand. It's sad. Mike had an amazing idea but his personality along with his coworkers ruined a great IP.
awesome video, it makes me so sad to hear all of this. me personally, as someone who tries to always see the positives with zoo, there isn't much to take away as a positive here. on a lighter note, you maybe could have waited to release this video after your zoo auctions ended on ebay to get a bit more money lol
If they don’t come back I think that’s a huge problem for metazoo. And I wouldn’t come back to the same management. Seems metazoo is in a lot of trouble. The artists I liked that made me feel collecting metazoo was worth while… are gone now.
Honestly I suspected as much with the Sanrio collab in terms of them being picky about the art submitted. I guarantee that the delays caused by that are a lot of what caused the domino effect of most of last year. As for the other issues, it sucks that they were put through the ringer like that. I still have my own issues with Poncho but it's unrelated to the situation at hand.
i disagree, the workers need pay cuts so andy can buy a new lambo. where would the company be today if andy didnt boss around the artists and stop them from making money
Yeah MZ underpaid artist heavily. That is messed up, commissioning art , then not paying artist, that's a redline honestly, they need some sort of compensation either way.
Just because you like someone and liked some things they did doesn't make them a suitable president for a company. Mike should've put someone who knows what they're doing with experience instead....rip metazoo.....so sad to see this....
Another company doomed to fail for treating their employees - the artists that have literally brought the MetaZoo universe to life - like expendable fodder. To those affected by the greed of Andy and his cronies: Thank you, you're the real MetaZoo.
Thanks for the clarification, I always wondered why. The community surrounding MZ is amazing but the company definitely has a lot of thinking to do. Bar a company restructure or a buyout from a seasoned TCG company, things can't continue the way they have been. I hope the make a big pivot because I would love to see them be more of a household name and play it with my kiddos as they grow.
So it seems there was messy messy business when it comes to Metazoo And Andy. I mean where’s the professionalism when you’re having sex/relationships with an artist employee. Andy seems like the problem. Get ride of the problem. 👍🏼✅
Mike appointed Andy. He should have stopped all these nonsense if what the artists said were real. Mike isn't as innocent as Nick claimed in the video. We haven't even get into the possibility that Mike is the one with the idea, Andy just an executive senario
If your allegedly making 50m in a year, why not pay your artists more, pay the winners, get better distribution so everyone gets their product on time and try to make more than 50m and buy more lambos! It doesn't make sense to not pay everyone to try to beat last years earnings.
Sack off Andy, apologise to the artists, pay them more and invite them back. Unless this happens, Metazoo can get fucked. People should just refuse to buy anymore until it does and do it loudly.
Sounds to me like its partly the owner doesn’t understand the work and specific skill that goes into the artwork and he feels as though its easy to paint or just anyone can draw well digitally, when its not the case. To me digital is worth less than painting by hand, but not $130…..thats ridiculous
Huge video Nick! A+ reporting and even adding in the sidenote for clarification. Wonder if Mike would consider selling Metazoo to Victor Larson/Nom Nom at this point and Mike stays on as creative director while the Nom Nom team would rebrand to Metazoo and run the day to day operations. No Andy though of course, give him his golden parachute and just part ways with him. I should clarify that I am not a Nom Nom fan but there are enough of the Metazoo community there where it could be a soft reset for Metazoo of sorts
MetaZoo as a whole has been shady from the beginning. Mike wasn’t some TCG fan. He was an investment banker who took advantage of the speculator boom of 2020 and created an inflated micro economy. I was shadow banned from the discord and subreddit when I first called out shady business practice, like the double dipping website for “secure transactions” I feel terrible for the people who really believed in the game and took an interest in playing something on the ground floor. I was one of these people but after that initial launch I saw the writing on the wall. Mike and Andy won’t try and save the game. I guarantee if this looks like something they can’t repair they’re gonna cut and run with those profits and move to another Ponzi scheme.
At first I thought this was a weird comment, but I looked at the video again and boticed he is indeed completely surrounded by his desk, lol. It must swing open on his right side, pretty cool desk.
it doesn't translate well in the video but theres a gap between the wall and the back half of the deck, it's a huge desk that takes up most of the room but theres about a 1-2 foot walk way behind it
This is the most important metazoo video on YT to date. Phenomenal reporting, goes directly to the incredibly unethical behavior we’ve all suspected. Thank you for your courage and for giving the artists a voice. MZ won’t be seeing a dime from me for a good long while.
I will not partake any longer, due to complete loss of faith, until Metazoo specifically addresses this video.
They won’t 🏴☠️
Agreed.
I’m just glad Nick talked to, and made this video, for the artists view points rather than Argos “The Fox News of Metazoo” Anonymous.
They never addressed any concerns after they realized how much money they can scam out of people a few months after kickstarter
@@smallorphan1192they’re officially closed as of today
Not a shock that Andy is the biggest cancer in MZ. Been all kinds of rumors floating around about that guy
He is saving his money to have cosmetic surgery done on his testicles. He wants them to both look like Chaos Crystal.
@@cheeseburger8932Haha
@@cheeseburger8932Nothing to save, The game is joever!
That’s it, after watching this video I’ve made up my mind. I’m DONE with Metazoo until Andy is either FIRED or steps down to a role that allows him very little control of the company. Listening to this makes me furious. Mike, WAKE UP please and do what’s right to save MetaZoo. Get rid of Andy!
There is a rumor and I would really like to know this after listening to this video. That Steve aoki sold his share of the company to Andy. Andy comes from wealth and he bought him out. If that's actually true then unfortunately firing him won't be possible.
I mean or at least until they acknowledge this information and respond to it. If its not what it seems prove it, but thats like me.
@@chartreuse3686 they won't just up and acknowledge this. They are going to try to protect their IP.
@@FizggigArgos claims thats the most ridiculous rumor yet
@TriWaZe I did hear that. Again it's just a rumor and 100% could be false. It's just weird Aoki doesn't really talk about MZ and at the same time Andy becomes president. Idk again could just be that Aoki doesn't have anything to say right now. I hope that is not the truth because if it is then yes Andy technically can't be "Fired" he could step down but that is up to him.
To all the artist past and present thank you all. For your time and artwork. I wish you all the best and I'm sure the entire metazoo community wishes you the best.
I was a close partner with Metazoo for less than a year and I’m glad it’s finally come to air on how they operate behind the scenes as a company. I got nothing but love for the artists and glad they decided to do this
Well done getting the facts . Makes sense, I would of left as well. Feel horrible for the artists. Even if you wanted to stay you couldn't. Artists need side hustles and should be allowed to do as they please. The artists are amazing. Shout out to all the artists.....thank you for all your hard work. Lets.get rid of this Andy guy and get our artists back. Let's pay the players . Let's lower print runs. Lets.get product out on time. There......all problems solved.
That’s too many things. Metazoo will continue to die.
Next best thing we can do now is to go and support the artists and their work, we'll know it's actually going towards them and not a new Lambo!
I’ll consider checking MZ out again once Andy’s gone. Seems like a simple solution at this point. None of this surprises me either especially since they can’t even follow through with promises made before 2024.
Great video legend. Glad to finally get some info out there on what happened and is happening at MetaZoo. I think we all feel nothing will change until a restructure occurs...
This is what Mike said back in 2022:
"For full transparency, our artists are paid $380 for each card art! I will update you all annually on this number as it steadily increases."
I know Andy is mentioned a lot here but the person completely responsible for this disaster is Mike. When you hire an incompetent bum that is on you. That person clearly had no ability to run any business and has the intelligence of a turnip, yet he was put into that position by Mike. As previously said this company need to be sold. There is no other way out.
He was Mikes buddy, that's his qualification. He sure likes to talk about his car collection, yet refuses to pay his artists a living wage. This is what happens when businesses are run by immature tech bros and not consummate professionals.
Yeah Mike is a scumbag.
First-hand experience here. Metazoo artists have left due to the poor treatment since the company began, before Andy even came on board - surprised that wasn't mentioned as at least one big name comes to mind... does nobody wonder what happened with all the artists before 2023? Let me give you a brief overview:
If you think the artists' pay from last year was bad you should have seen the pay in 2021. Double digits for some work. If you fought for better pay you were bullied and told that working for a company as great as Metazoo should be the reward in and of itself. Not only was the pay abysmal but you had no rights to anything you submitted to the company, even concept sketches, so if you gave them 10 sketches and they picked one, they'd still own all 10 and pay you as if you only gave them one. This is not unusual when working for big studios but you are compensated appropriately at other companies.
Art contest was treated the same - you were expected to shut up and receive whatever they decided on, even though they kept changing what the artists would receive as compensation. Any inquiries into the prizes were met with the same attitude of "it's a privilege to work for Metazoo" The winners received copies of their own cards AFTER the general public which never sat right with me.
The rot is deep and the disrespect for artists has been a lifelong company policy.
10 sketches? that's like 10 full arts for the "great" Metazoo company. sorry if it's your work but man, it rivals Chris Chan's and it's a wonder you got paid at all.... unless you had to draw with your left hand to be on par of the high Metazoo standards, in that case, respect.
Appreciate you putting this video together Nick. It is important for these details to be shared by the collective group of artists who couldn't really do so on their own. Knew you would do a great job being their voice
I met Andy at the Long Beach Con and he had such douchy vibes and now hearing this it just makes sense that he is the cancer of Metazoo
Dude he sucks. He was very unpleasant, and it shows in his work too.
Not allowing your PART-TIME employees to seek other work is absurd. If you’re going to piece-pay your artists, you shouldn’t feel entitled to hold them hostage
Allow them to sign any card/art at any event and allow them to speak on their work and work for other brands simultaneously… if you can’t afford full time employees then be flexible… this is all so avoidable
Amen
Agree 100%. It serves no purpose but to be cruel to hold them from doing work. It disgusts me.
Yeah, Pokémon does this because they are a huge franchise and I’m sure pay their artist handsomely. Who do these people think they are? I just did some GTA five mods for a large company and I’m having trouble with the wire transfer for the last payment, it’s frustrating, but I know I will get my money. I can’t imagine how these artists feel.
Andy needs to be promoted to sit on a dunk tank. If Andy is removed as president and the artists brought back with better fair pay, the community would be revived instantly.
The chances of this happening are close to zero.
Have the players been paid for the BROKE tower event?
Thanks Nick! The fan base needed this. Thanks to the artists
Shining light on things like this are always necessary to move forward or correct the issues. Every job I ever left was due to feeling just like these artists and having similar experiences as far as pay or unfair treatments.
I just want to say, your reporting is amazing and thank you 🙏. Please get involved with the other TCGs cause your on point and a necessary unbiased voice in my opinion.
The behind the scenes that everyone wanted to know. Kudos to you
Damn the situations with the artists and Andy's behavior is even worse than I thought it could be. Andy is a douche, just gonna say it. Terrible guy, terrible management. No wonder MZ is where it's at today. Sad
kinda sounds like we need some management restructuring
Great video, thanks for sharing this with us. It sounds like Metazoo needs to replace some of the people that are currently in management roles with people who are actually competent at their jobs. If Andy really is the core reason as to why the Metazoo artists left and if he is responsible for some of the communication issues that have been going on for some time now, then I am utterly shocked that he hasn't been fired yet. Personally, if I was in charge of the company, I would not let that slide and I would of removed him from the company a long time ago.
It’s all about bad management. If Sanrio reject those artworks, make those rejected artworks into different set like: Metazoo Rejects. If you want artists to be contractors, they should be allowed to take side jobs or other artworks for other companies. If you want exclusive artists, pay them minimum or guarantee wages and for any work they done, add extra money like bonus such as what you just mention.
Solid work. Thanks for keeping the community informed!
Afton definitely gets special treatment but dating a dwarf is a drawback
Could’ve been the other chick too
@@nopityfac8609 it’s definitely Afton. Kelsey and Jett don’t get any special treatment.
😂
Ultimately Mike in 100% responsible for what happens at his company. He should be aware of everything that is going on. We are at a crossroads where the choice is going to have to be made to either side with Andy or keep Metazoo Games afloat. If I were in Mikes position I would place Kris Kampman back as the head of the art division and remove Afton & Andy. He cannot tolerate the creation or participation of described behavior inside his business any longer. Its about time to make that sacrifice.
Nobody talks about this, but perhaps the Steve Aoki major investment was toxic and led to poor management decisions and overprinting as a cash grab.
The art was one of the biggest draws to this TCG for me in the first place.
Can't blame them at all. There's absolutely no way an artist should have their income capped in such a fashion. That's really what this was - if there's exclusivity they aren't being paid for, a lack of projects, a price cut on their labor, and an inability to create supplemental income at events thrown by their exclusive business partner, what is the incentive to work for that employer?
They may be able to make more *from Metazoo-related events* after ending their relationship than they made as artists for the company. That's ridiculous.
I'm sure there is probably a standard outline for how tcg artists get paid and I'm not sure how any of that works. That being said I CAN NOT believe the artists were not given salary on top of commissions or bonuses based on goals.... I think the original artists all the way up to CN1 should have 100% been paid salary and more... When you google how much do metazoo artist make it says it was mentioned in the discord they get paid $380 for each card art. As far as the invite only to events is INSANITY!!! That's a enormous red flag, especially considering there's not that many artists. Honestly I find it all together shocking they got paid so little. I think after the tcg blows up and NOT ONLY you don't give your artists raises, they LOWER their pay, I don't see a world where that wouldn't feel like a personal attack...
Poncho was the best. They really messed up. Rip MetaZoo
Puts a lot of clarity into the issues behind the scenes. It sucks that these artists work are tied to someone else's mismanagement of the brand.
Thanks for all the updates on Metazoo. You’re my main source of information now regarding Metazoo. You’re logical and always unbiased which is really important. I really loved this community. I’m no longer buying anything, but I’m still curious as to what’s going on with the company. Thanks again
Instead of taking care of the artists who made Metazoo what it is, they cut their pay. Couldn’t have messed this up worse. I’ve loved Metazoo but that’s it, I’m out.
Good shit Nick.
what I was thinking how it all went down. When can we have a live stream with all the artist who left? I think Nick should be first to get the exclusive. WoW on the latest thus far.
I was on about a 90 Minute 5 way call with them earlier about all this and they specifically requested I not record or post it. I don't think any of them want to be on the record directly for fear of retaliation
@@nicksstrengthandpokemon6353what a bunch of 🐈
Great investigative work!
As Cj from San Andreas would say Ah shit, here we go again
Imagine still supporting this company.
I feel like at this point maybe the best thing for MetaZoo is to be sold to a new owner, preferably one who has tcg experience. There’s definitely a salvageable IP if done properly
Did the guy really buy lambos and stuff while stiffing the art team? So messed up.
He definitely put his wood in some of them.
Metazoo needs to hire you.
You do great work..keep it up
No they need to file bankruptcy and just stop
Having in-house artists getting paid on commission AND on a no-compete contract is a recipe for hurt feelings.
Taking away someone ability to freely operate or seek gainful employment never works out.
Free-lance commission work ends up working the best thing for both parties.
So allegedly, Andy is the problem. What is Andy qualification anyway to be awarded the president role? Does he have experience as an executive at a successful company?
we don't know
He played call of duty. That’s it lol
🤷♂️
Well, if Mike is a smart businessman, like he claims to be, maybe Andy shouldn’t be a part of the company anymore 😅
I’d rather have good artists getting paid what they deserve instead of Andy getting a Lamborghini
I don't even think he can undo that damage
I think Mike is an ideas guy that actually got an idea off the ground for 5 minutes. He seems to be splitting his focus immediately instead of getting the foundation of the business set before branching out.
When I started getting into to artist and signed cards in MtG one of the very first things I was taught was;
They brought your game to life and make the characters real so their work is invaluable.
Always take care of the artists who you love.
Often they charged a couple bucks for a signature and an alternative was more, but we were always taught to tip our artists on top of it because they don't make a lot and need to make a living to keep doing the thing we love/ need. I cannot imagine not wanting to let them find more work or not letting them go to events for signatures. That part alone makes me the most upset. I was already on the fence about zoo, but this is unfair and just mean at the end of the day. Let them make their art, get paid fairly, give them an opportunity to sign but also build your brand. Smh....
Neat to hear this side. Really enjoyed the OG artists.
Well thats BS if they cant work for other companies at the same time. RIP Metazoo
biggest thing here that doesn't make sense is not allowing the artists to work for other companies. if they are not salaried, and you are giving them less work, why on earth would you block them from doing work elsewhere to pay the bills.
Also... didnt know about the lambo thing. Not a good look.
cuz they are evil
This puts a really sour taste in my mouth about Metazoo, I can’t imagine how’d they redeem themselves at this point
thanks for your coverage you’re doing the community at large a great service I hope you feel the appreciation.
Why did they hire this Andy guy? Was andy qualified to run a company?
Looks like some of them ended up at the new Chronicles of Arcane TCG
The further Rudy tries to distance himself the more I’m convinced some shit is about to hit the fan
Seems like it already did. The company is going silent.
DISCLAIMER: The following are my personal comments, opinions, feelings, and beliefs. I do not officially represent MetaZoo Games, their opinions, feelings, or beliefs. This is not an official message from MetaZoo Games. My comments here on this video are not a confirmation or denial of ANY of the thoughts, opinions, or beliefs held by any of the mentioned MetaZoo Games artists in the video.
Yo Nick, I've been watching your RUclips channel for quite some time, and I just wanted to say that I really appreciate your passion for this hobby. It was the genuinely heartfelt fans like yourself, @Peeweez0, @Fizggig, and of course, the great @PurpleElfProductions (Miss ya man! Hope the Everquest grind is going well), that made my time working at MetaZoo Games so rewarding. Reflecting on my journey starting back in 2021, and even after stepping away last September, it's the community's passion that has always stood out above all else.
I don't think I'll ever be speaking about MetaZoo Games again, but just wanted to say thanks. To you, the other voices, and to everyone who continues to care about this hobby.
Dang, was hoping you'd talk! You have the best Andy stories...
@nick -- Many others were mistreated and quit before this wave of artists, including Digital Art Director (GreenStar, above), R&D Director (Kevin), OP Director (Damien), and Art Director (Victor Larson)
Wow a shoutout from left field! If you are who I think you are, thank you for everything you did for Metazoo and being a huge part of the cards and art we all got to enjoy. Man I miss Jeff as well, never have I seen a man so passionate and delve into madness after digging deeper behind the veil - it was crazy seeing his video progression and him at the end of his content creation for Metazoo have to get into gardening to get his sanity back again!
@@Peeweez0 Haha yeah, it's me. And yeah, Jeff was amazing.
Well done video, bro. You presented the info concisely yet left everything vague enough to protect everyone. Good job, man.
Wait, so basically things went to shit once Andy came on board? I'm starting to feel sorry for Mike because it sounds like Chaos Crystal Enthusiast ruined his company, but it also sounds like he made a pretty shit choice in hiring Andy in the first place and not like firing him once this stuff started to happen. I mean if Metazoo is going to continue it sounds like we all know what needs to happen 😏
Andy was there from the beginning, he didn't just came on board. They are friends.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Andy was only there to be the punching bag, and Mike was actually making all the decisions. They think they are a prestigious enough of a company to make artist exclusively make art for them? The Pokémon company does this, why does this guy keep thinking this game is as prestigious as the Pokémon tcg?
@@maze-nc1utI've only had bad encounters with Andy, mainly being gas-lit and him being passive aggressive, as well as him calling me "incredibly rude" in DMs, and then him deleting the message after calling him out on the gaslighting. (I have a screenshot of the pre-deleted message however) The guy is very abusive with his "powers" and egotistical, grew old very quickly.
edit: for context, I was pushing for someone who won a bronze NFT token in a official mz giveaway who never received it to get it, they contacted Mike, Max, support, mods, Andy, anyone and everyone they could multiple times, including when one would say to contact a different person, they did and eventually everyone ghosted him after making him run circles. I brought this up with Andy in DMs , that it had been nearly a year since the giveaway, asking what was up with it, and he said, and I quote, "Wow. Incredibly rude. I'll bump support on this. Take care."
After I told him making the winner run circles for nearly a year and ghosting him was "incredibly rude," he deleted the message likely as damage control, not sure (I took a screenshot if it however) but yeah. I know this is only an anecdote, but the guy's a jackass.
@@forevergrey that sucks man. Sorry to hear that. Something strange is happening with this company and it is fascinating to wonder what is going on and what will happen. I wouldn’t be surprised if they saw the writing on the wall months ago, and decided to pocket a bunch of money before it all fails for their troubles. The fact that they are not shelling out anymore cash To prominent people involved with the game is very strange.
Actually the potential money to have been made in the future would far outweigh the amount they could have scammed anyone for. I think that Andy was on his best behavior at the beginning but there may be a lot of manipulation going on. The pride that comes from success and power is sometimes not manageable for some people. @@maze-nc1ut
I can think of only one reason why those cool artists I met would leave a cool company like MetaZoo. That's money. They got a better offer elsewhere and they didn't make as much money as they expected. Art suplies cost money, and if artists want to keep doing art, they need to be paid fairly.
Such a shame what happened to all these talented artists, I will be taking a step back from Metazoo for a while.
Let’s get Andy on for an interview 😅
WOW! And here was me thinking that artists were getting salary + commission fee + a small percentage of revenue from product where their art was used on…
This pay is so small, wow.. seems even I earn more by building some websites at my work pff..
No wonder they left, actually I’m amazed they stayed as long as they did.
Andy dating Afton should’ve also not been allowed to happen. Super unprofessional of Andy. What if my boss would start dating a girl he hired.. hell no.
Nick, thank you for making these AWESOME videos the last week!!! I’m super stoked when I see you upload some MZ content and these were absolute bangers to watch. You freaking legend 🙏
I will also STOP buying from MZ directly (so 2ndary market only) till either this video is PROPERLY & honestly addressed by Andy + Mike or that Andy is replaced as president.
So much love to you Nick for how perfectly this was explained thank you!!!
He’s dating Afton not Lillie. Lillie has a husband
Is it really Lillie?
@@colemanTX6 oh thanks! Guess I was misinformed on that, I’ll edit my message boss 💪
Been looking forward to this all day
Wow, the amount they pay the artists is shockingly low. And they only get paid if the art is accepted? WOW. I’m curious to know what the going rate of pay is in the TCG world in general
That Andy guy I never liked him since I met him at LA collect A con. Aside from it the artist leaving is also Mikes fault for not reaching out to the artist... it sounds like the artist tried to warned Mike about the situation with Andy and he ignored it. It could of been Mikes decision for all we know and put Andy as his puppet to not look bad... All I want to say is that all this could of been avoided if Mike would of replied or listen to the artist to make some corrections with Andys decisions. Now it just looks bad all the way around with Andy in the steering wheel, little to no artist and no one trusting Metazoo.... I will continue to support Metazoo because I fell in love with the game and cryptids. Really hope Mike puts his big boots on again and take the wheel back and clean all this mess as the creator and father of Metazoo....
Recently started watching your channel, I appreciate your approach and tact in your (MetaZoo) videos.
Those workplace dynamics sound like every retail/hospitality workplace ever. Not saying it's right. But defs common in part time/casual heavy workplaces
Metazoo got the fans to make the art now, 100% free
Great video. As a former fan this information adds a lot of context to why it got to where it is today. It's important to note, Mike is a big problem for the PR of the company. He has damaged relations with the outside (fans). Andy seems to be what corrupted the inside (the company). It seems like the combination of these two things created a very toxic brand. It's sad. Mike had an amazing idea but his personality along with his coworkers ruined a great IP.
ripping off pokemon... what a revolutionary idea.
awesome video, it makes me so sad to hear all of this. me personally, as someone who tries to always see the positives with zoo, there isn't much to take away as a positive here. on a lighter note, you maybe could have waited to release this video after your zoo auctions ended on ebay to get a bit more money lol
If they don’t come back I think that’s a huge problem for metazoo. And I wouldn’t come back to the same management. Seems metazoo is in a lot of trouble. The artists I liked that made me feel collecting metazoo was worth while… are gone now.
Good deep dive man
Well, it was a great run. Unfortunately, I don't see a future for this game.
Nice here we go!
Never thought it be good for the tcg whenever Andy got involved
Nick your word choice...you are a funny man. 😂
The artist didn't get preferential treatment because they were not the focus of Andy's screwing...
Who is Andy? Like was he one of the founders ? Sounds like the dude needs to go.
Hes been there very early on
Honestly I suspected as much with the Sanrio collab in terms of them being picky about the art submitted. I guarantee that the delays caused by that are a lot of what caused the domino effect of most of last year. As for the other issues, it sucks that they were put through the ringer like that. I still have my own issues with Poncho but it's unrelated to the situation at hand.
Very interesting indeed. I never liked CCE (Andy) from day one.
i disagree, the workers need pay cuts so andy can buy a new lambo. where would the company be today if andy didnt boss around the artists and stop them from making money
Yeah MZ underpaid artist heavily. That is messed up, commissioning art , then not paying artist, that's a redline honestly, they need some sort of compensation either way.
Just because you like someone and liked some things they did doesn't make them a suitable president for a company. Mike should've put someone who knows what they're doing with experience instead....rip metazoo.....so sad to see this....
I really appreciate you doing this, Nick.
Another company doomed to fail for treating their employees - the artists that have literally brought the MetaZoo universe to life - like expendable fodder. To those affected by the greed of Andy and his cronies: Thank you, you're the real MetaZoo.
Thanks for the clarification, I always wondered why. The community surrounding MZ is amazing but the company definitely has a lot of thinking to do. Bar a company restructure or a buyout from a seasoned TCG company, things can't continue the way they have been. I hope the make a big pivot because I would love to see them be more of a household name and play it with my kiddos as they grow.
Outsider looking in. Not a Metazoo guy but a TCG guy. The artists being disrespected is absolutely disgusting. Do better Zoo
Metazoo has a lot or work to do. I see them getting it together and getting some honesty and trust issues taken care of!
Lmfao
Nah dude, it’s over
So it seems there was messy messy business when it comes to Metazoo And Andy. I mean where’s the professionalism when you’re having sex/relationships with an artist employee. Andy seems like the problem. Get ride of the problem. 👍🏼✅
Mike appointed Andy. He should have stopped all these nonsense if what the artists said were real.
Mike isn't as innocent as Nick claimed in the video.
We haven't even get into the possibility that Mike is the one with the idea, Andy just an executive senario
Sell the company and let someone else take over. They don’t care anymore. I loved panchos artwork and wish I could’ve gotten him to sign something.
If your allegedly making 50m in a year, why not pay your artists more, pay the winners, get better distribution so everyone gets their product on time and try to make more than 50m and buy more lambos! It doesn't make sense to not pay everyone to try to beat last years earnings.
Those are insanely bad terms.
Sack off Andy, apologise to the artists, pay them more and invite them back.
Unless this happens, Metazoo can get fucked. People should just refuse to buy anymore until it does and do it loudly.
Lmao even without this metazoo has been dead, even if they apologized to the artists and paid them way more I wouldn’t buy metazoo ever again
well said
Sounds to me like its partly the owner doesn’t understand the work and specific skill that goes into the artwork and he feels as though its easy to paint or just anyone can draw well digitally, when its not the case. To me digital is worth less than painting by hand, but not $130…..thats ridiculous
Except all of the art is at a 9th grade level lol, it’s not that much work
The Kuromi art aint worth more than 130 bucks. Let’s be real here
Someday Mike will see the light and pass the helm to Captain Noah
So if all original artists left. It’s not Metazoo then , correct??
correct. It's meta-bullshit
Huge video Nick! A+ reporting and even adding in the sidenote for clarification. Wonder if Mike would consider selling Metazoo to Victor Larson/Nom Nom at this point and Mike stays on as creative director while the Nom Nom team would rebrand to Metazoo and run the day to day operations. No Andy though of course, give him his golden parachute and just part ways with him.
I should clarify that I am not a Nom Nom fan but there are enough of the Metazoo community there where it could be a soft reset for Metazoo of sorts
Or make a new cryptid IP. They don't own all the rights to cryptids at all.
MetaZoo as a whole has been shady from the beginning.
Mike wasn’t some TCG fan. He was an investment banker who took advantage of the speculator boom of 2020 and created an inflated micro economy.
I was shadow banned from the discord and subreddit when I first called out shady business practice, like the double dipping website for “secure transactions”
I feel terrible for the people who really believed in the game and took an interest in playing something on the ground floor. I was one of these people but after that initial launch I saw the writing on the wall.
Mike and Andy won’t try and save the game. I guarantee if this looks like something they can’t repair they’re gonna cut and run with those profits and move to another Ponzi scheme.
Kris should be president - manager, Poncho should be art director. Bring the artist back with royalty pay. 💰 but who am I 😅
How do you get out of your desk? Can you upload a video showing us?
At first I thought this was a weird comment, but I looked at the video again and boticed he is indeed completely surrounded by his desk, lol. It must swing open on his right side, pretty cool desk.
it doesn't translate well in the video but theres a gap between the wall and the back half of the deck, it's a huge desk that takes up most of the room but theres about a 1-2 foot walk way behind it