santaespeaks

[santaespeaks]

Hello.

While this blog is no longer very active, I have reblogged some old asks that I found notable/relevant with mild commentary, if anyone would like to peruse. For more recent content, which corroborates/extends the ones I reblogged, please see santae-salt.

[santaespeaks]

Santae

Staff and ex staff of Santae coming out with their experiences across multiple platforms.

[santaespeaks]

In less than a year this number has grown to I believe 60+

In just a few short months since its so-called 'opening' in May 2024, over 20 staff members, including upper admins, management, and mods, have mysteriously parted ways. For a game still in alpha testing, that's an unusually high turnover, don’t you think? Makes you wonder what’s really going on behind the scenes …

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[santaespeaks]

cj really just wants to be a petsite player that cant be told no and it's getting so increasingly obvious lol like. so many weird and bad decisions on the actual 'running a petsite' part that just make me think he has no clue how to run things and just wants to do whatever he wants while his company town currency-paid staff cleans up behind him

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[santaespeaks]

‘I’ve personally invested well over $180,000 into Santae’s development) and plan on continuing to create this beautiful place for us all. I’ve also been working on Santae for the past 12 years, by world-building, creating inclusivity, our current and future content that is posted, as well as dedicating myself to creating a positive, engaging experience for our community.’

How did CJ spend ANOTHER $30,000 since launching his Kickstarter a week ago? A post on another tumblr claims they saw him a few months ago in a Discord chat he had mentioned he’s spent around $50,000-60,000 on Santae so how do you spend another $120,000 since then?? How is he spending money so fast? Why does he need OUR money so bad if he seems to have a plethora to spend on Santae? WHAT exactly is all this money going towards? This is a bit concerning for someone to have spent enough to purchase a home (in some parts of the world)… Also, if he has been working on Santae for 12 years, why is the game just now coming out? Why is there a copyright for 2018-2024 if the site has been in development for 12 years now?

A LOT of things are NOT adding up here…..

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[santaespeaks]

Look man I'm not gonna pretend I understand all the nitty-gritty details of how this site is run and try to make a broad statement of its moral quality, all I'm gonna say is that it doesn't sit right with me when the lead developer of a game responds to the slightest bit of discontent from a Discord user by saying - and I quote - 'any negativity will be removed ❤️'. Followed by another message a few hours later threatening to timeout anyone who complained, also littered with heart emojis.

I just think that's unprofessional. But what do I know?

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[santaespeaks]

Oh great - MORE cash shop items. How much pay to win content can this site churn out during ALPHA?

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[santaespeaks]

I just want to say, the staff culture in Santae, now, is truly the best for any petsite I have worked for. Management really listens, are absolutely lovely people, and genuinely have passion for the petsite genre.

I know you all cannot see the behind the scenes, which is why you rely on anecdotes and other people's experiences. I understand ex-staff have come here to vent, and are describing their experience. But those ex-staff members have not seen or experienced the stark shift that has occurred recently. Your personal experience with the team is now outdated.

The staff culture now, feels like a team that enjoys everyones company and looks forward to their opinions, and values them. I am incredibly sorry for those who have had bad experiences prior to now, but your experience is not universal, nor is it current.

You should be genuinely glad to hear that a lot of the pressure and communication issues that have occurred in the past, are in the past. The team is now more connected and on the same page as ever, and we have truly benefited from it.

I know this entry is not quantitative, and some of you will ignore this post because of that. But I have no interest in breaking the trust I have with the crew. I wanted those who have left on sour terms to know that the work has been put in to improve.

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[santaespeaks]

So many anons defending CJ for being nice, but isn't that the root of the issue? That he acts nice on the outside to hide all the problems without ever taking accountability?

Glad you're having good experiences but you're complicit if you ignore the rot deep within.

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[santaespeaks]

CJ is already in hot water for not paying his artists enough and then he has the balls to try and scam users with a merch contest? How anyone can still support him is beyond me

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[santaespeaks]

The staff's avoidance of criticism, coupled with CJ and the mods' passive-aggressive treatment of players they disagree with, and the excessive micromanaging, makes me think they're following the path of many other failed petsites: a surge of players after public launch, maybe 1-2 years of stable activity, and then a gradual decline until the site ultimately crashes and burns.

I hope I'm mistaken, but unless they hire staff with genuine experience in managing a petsite, I believe this is what will happen.

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[santaespeaks]

lol damn, reading back on this blog: some of these asks being white knights and bootlickers have aged like spoiled milk. it really only took one or two former artists to step forward to tip the tower and encourage others to speak up, huh?

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[santaespeaks]

A Letter to CJ, from Santae Staff

First and foremost, I'd like to establish this as an attempt made in good faith to advocate for the better treatment of all current and future members of the Santae staff and community. I have nothing to gain from this personally--everything that follows is shared only in the interest of transparency, and the choice to do so now is my own.

At the time of the recent walkout on March 4th, 2025, CJ was presented with a letter. This letter was drafted with the assistance of multiple established staff members for two reasons: to address recurring behaviors that were unanimously considered inappropriate and unprofessional, and to provide an exhaustive list of adjustments and changes required to better the team going forward. The intent was always to bring light to these issues, and encourage growth from within by supporting any efforts made to resolve them.

Instead, the few changes that were implemented while I was still an Admin were inconsistent and poorly executed; CJ's behavior remains unchanged, and he has stated outright that he is unwilling to entertain any further negotiations. Without anyone present to hold him accountable, it's likely that this will get brushed aside as unnecessary drama, and the cycle will continue.

Unfortunately, as of writing this, the majority of those aware of the letter are no longer staff. Given CJ's active resistance and overall failure to honor promises made to his own team, making its contents public feels like the most effective way for me to ensure that everyone's effort hasn't been in vain.

As always, I wish Santae and its community all the best.

-- Lacilia

( Full transcript below the cut )

Staff Members of Santae Entertainment LLC.

Dear Management Head CJ, The present letter has the objective of opening communications regarding a series of events within the Santae Workspace. We as members of the Staff Team want to make an official petition to take these statements into consideration and open discussions to improve the workplace environment we have come to appreciate, all in order to continue making possible the growth of Santae.

Recently, we as staff members of Santae Entertainment have witnessed and experienced interactions that have been deemed as inappropriate or unprofessional. These interactions extend to staff members in Front-End and Back-End positions.

In order for us to continue providing service to Santae, we require an immediate acknowledgement and addressal of these eventualities, including a plan of action and the management of our workspace.

Issues of Note

Included are the concerns that Staff Members of diverse roles have reported not being handled in an appropriate manner for a work environment sharing the ideals of kindness, safety and unity as established by Santae. It is our hope that the acknowledgement of said events will open an opportunity to improve relations and foster a safe and professional environment for all Santae Staff Team members.

A. Frequent occasions of speaking ill or inappropriately about current and previous staff, site users and/or situations utilizing the designated Staff Server Voice Calls. As well as distasteful content being displayed in the shared Work Space, despite the vocalization of discomfort from multiple Staff Members.

Conversations on official Staff communication channels must remain professional and respectful, projecting an image of unity, while being mindful about social and historical backgrounds, ethnicity, race, identity and current sensitive global issues.

B. Concerns not being met with a professional or empathetic response, on the contrary, implying that expressing their uneasiness would foster an unsafe work environment, ultimately leading to members of the Staff feeling unheard. This is accompanied by the relaying of unclear terms, rules and regulations for Staff Team members that contradict or imply previous statements on said rules.

As Santae fosters values such as kindness, empathy and compassion, these same values must be represented within the private Staff spaces in order to create a safe work environment for every individual. Communication is essential for the best performance of their employees and therefore the correct functioning of the Santae Entertainment site both in private and public spaces.

C. Incidences of Staff and Users feeling that Management has previously or is currently utilizing resources, information, status or vulnerabilities in a way that elicits the individual into an emotional or moral disadvantage to argue or discuss issues openly. On a similar note, instances of Management insisting on conducting private conversations with Staff and Users after a discussion has been settled in public.

In order to promote a secure and equitable work environment, external factors to disagreements and conversations should not be taken into account unless specifically relevant to the resolution of said discussion. In a similar manner, private or sensitive information pertaining to any Staff member or User should not under any circumstances be distributed, displayed or relayed to any other Staff member or User without the former individual’s expressed written consent. As for an appropriate usage of the designated Staff communication channels, requesting private dialogue between staff without a mediator cannot be insisted on when it is expressed they are unwilling.

D. An incident involving multiple Staff Team members participating in an unrestricted Voice Call channel being spoken to in a manner that was deemed as disrespectful and severely harsh while in the presence of unrelated Staff Team members that were allowed to join the aforementioned call unimpeded, leading to shame and a posterior fearful environment.

We believe this to be the lead cause of reflection upon the conducts observed in Santae Entertainment’s workplace across an extended period of time, motivating the need to elicit change in order to keep operating in the most efficient, professional and adequate manner moving forward. Ideally, communications must be kept in a tone and volume that conveys respect in an omnidirectional way, benefiting the resolution of misunderstandings, mishaps and misinformation.

Suggestions and Future Improvements

The present Santae Staff cherishes the fellowship within its members, including that of the Management Head, and trusts that there is opportunity in hardship, guiding us in the search for a safer environment in which many of us find home. While changes are needed in order to improve current working conditions, the Santae Staff team is open and willing to collaborate in the proposition, development and implementation of the needed and/or requested measures written on this document or otherwise proposed by the Management Head, thus perpetuating the family values that Santae Entertainment holds as its core tenets.

The introduction of an HR Manager who acts as a mediator and impartial party between Staff and Head Management. Santae Staff will propose an interim HR Manager until a new, completely impartial external individual can be hired as fitting for both the Head Management and Staff requirements. We believe that a neutral ground would facilitate communications in the events of announcements, controversies, changes in reglament, management of Staff and resources, as well as scheduling and planification.

Reduce unnecessary private correspondence with Staff and Users, unless actively and enthusiastically consented to. Personal conflict should be handled through the HR Manager, who will arrange conversations between the appropriate Department Lead, the team Member/User, and Head Management. It is to be respected if any or both parties request a Mediator present in conversations taking place, all in order to ensure a secure, fair and respectful dialogue between both parties. This, at the same time, will foster a feeling of trust between all members of the Santae Staff Team.

Cease all distribution, relaying or display of private or sensitive information of any individual without their explicit written consent. This requirement is specially insisted upon as it is protected under various Data Protection Laws, including Federal US Law. We have trust that is in Santae Entertainment’s best interest to comply with such requirements.

Avoid introducing mentions of actions done magnanimously, status or vulnerabilities in irrelevant conversations on unrelated topics. With the objective of keeping communications clear and leveraged for all Staff members, it is important that the focus is kept on priority issues during conversations and discussions, separating personal and professional relationships in a healthy way.

All Staff and Management members must be addressed and referenced to in a respectful manner in all public channels and in private correspondence with other Staff Members. While we understand the existing trustworthy treatment between Staff members, it is important to remain cordial towards all individuals that are and have formed part of the Santae Staff team.

Staff Members should always operate in the chain of command in relation to official matters, unless there is a conflict with the direct next member of the chain, in which case they should address the next highest member in the chain. Management must allow Department Leads to operate as needed with only the necessary interference. This ensures that only verified and clear information is relayed between Departments and between members, avoiding miscommunication, controversies or escalating problematics.

Advances or bonus on Staff payment should be written and agreed to, signed by Santae Entertainment LCC and the next participating party. A signed agreement will ensure the safety of both parties and establish a reference point for future transactions.

Management is encouraged to allow an open, public conversation for Staff Members to discuss and suggest improvements to the structure and culture of the Santae Staff Team, with no fear of retaliation or punishment. We believe that great things are built in collaboration, and the unity Santae has projected in past occasions can shine again in the face of adversity.

We, as Santae Entertainment LCC Staff members, officially and formally request that these terms are met and that a betterment of the work environment is progressed upon in order to continue providing services by Front-End, Back-End, and other diverse Staff, some of which have preferred to remain anonymous. While we have trust that Management Head will take these claims into consideration as it is representative of Santae Entertainment’s core values, failure to hold this agreement on course would constitute a relapse of the previously stated consequences. We believe that the most appropriate way of addressing the present in order to keep transparency and trust is through a public written statement or action of similar fashion, avoiding the usage of unrecorded Voice Calls or private, unmediated channels.

We extend a sincere thanks while we work together to sort this issue.

Thank you beforehand for your involvement in the matter.

Sincerely,

Whixy ErmineLeader Gutshot Marceline Morrie Caligulas Endo LatteDragon Bastet Fritz Lacilia Treat Nymph

[santaespeaks]

*sweeps off the steps*

Asks are open if anyones got something to say they dont want to submit to the other blog.

[santaespeaks]

Doxxing

Myself and another salt blog have received asks containing an ex-staff member's full name, address, court records, phone number, and the name of a family member (along with a potential threat to said family member.) These asks stated, "Your identity will be exposed if this doesn't stop."

This person was formerly close to CJ and Ember and had shared this information with them previously.

CJ/Chaz or Ember are doxxing an unrelated party because they think the person might be behind a salt blog or informing one. Doxxing is a crime in many places.

This behavior is revolting.

[santaespeaks]

The staff's avoidance of criticism, coupled with CJ and the mods' passive-aggressive treatment of players they disagree with, and the excessive micromanaging, makes me think they're following the path of many other failed petsites: a surge of players after public launch, maybe 1-2 years of stable activity, and then a gradual decline until the site ultimately crashes and burns.

I hope I'm mistaken, but unless they hire staff with genuine experience in managing a petsite, I believe this is what will happen.

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[santaespeaks]

Seeing someone who joined the site at EA beta launch being promoted to a MOD has left a bad taste in my mouth 😐

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