Times have taken a troubling turn at Rockstar’s San Diego branch. According to Joystiq’s inside source at the studio, 2009 saw the firing of several key developers connected to the Midnight Club series, including vets Jay Panek and Mark Garone. Other people followed and quit, primarily due to being fed up with how the company handled Midnight Club: LA but also as a result of a lack of interest in working on Red Dead: Redemption.

With the core team essentially dissolved, the future of Midnight Club is an uncertainty. Poor management practices at Rockstar San Diego has led to a state of peril, with the wives of employees lamenting over inadequate working conditions coupled with unrealistic deadlines and long hours. The unethical neglect is beginning to take its toll on employee’s  at the studio, with those affected prepped to take legal action if the situation does not improve within the “upcoming weeks.”

Considering the Midnight Club franchise is one of Rockstar’s top earners, there’s little doubt that parent company Take-Two is watching the developments surrounding this situation closely. Rockstar, for its part, has yet to issue an official comment in response to the allegations.

Sources: Rockstar San Diego not working on more Midnight Club games, future games in jeopardy [Joystiq]

Follow this author on Twitter.