Licensed game dev boss jailed over unpaid wages

Sensory Sweep Studio head David M. Rushton has been given a 12 month jail sentence for unpaid back pay.

ABC reports Rushton owes more than 100 former employees $1.2 million in unpaid compensation.

One affected staffer, Adam Hunter, said he "didn't know of a single person who was consistently getting paid" aside from Rushton, his children and their friends; the developer apparently employed 211 staff, which Hunter considers too many for the work done. He said the studio's running joke was that the pay was on its way "next Friday", and that he was owed $12,000 when he left in 2009.

The Utah-based developer had a reputation for rapid-fire ports and licensed games, with a catalogue including Alvin and the Chipmunks, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 200, Jackass: The Game, 'Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting, 'Justice League Heroes and Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects.

Rushton was tried in a criminal case and is already serving a year-long jail sentence.