Tax department worker makes game to vent about his day job, gets fired

Canadian tax department worker David S. Gallant recently released a video game poking fun at his day job as a customer service representative who fields taxpayer's calls, The Star reports.

Yesterday afternoon, Gallant confirmed via Twitter that he has since been fired.

Gallant, who worked for the Canada Revenue Agency by day and is an independent game developer by night, said he created the game to express his "frustrations with a daily job that's making me feel less like a human being everyday." The game, I Get This Call Every Day, is a "personal tale of unwinnable realities ... a point-and-click conversation pulled from my day job."

The branching narrative has players choose from more than 250 lines of fully-voiced dialogue as they deal with taxpayers who are often inane, slow and frustrating. Gallant insists that the title is 100 percent accurate and the game is inspired by true events, even though it is a work of fiction.

While the game has been well receive so far, Gallant's employer was not impressed. The National Revenue Minister's communications director, Clarke Olsen, told The Star: "The Minister considers this type of conduct offensive and completely unacceptable. The Minister has asked the Commissioner (of Revenue, Andrew Treusch) to investigate and take any and all necessary corrective action. The Minister has asked the CRA to investigate urgently to ensure no confidential taxpayer information was compromised."

Shortly before 4 p.m. yesterday, Gallant tweeted "Anyone hiring?," and then later confirmed to another person on Twitter that he had been fired. While Gallant wrote via Twitter that he "cannot and will not provide any further comment on today's situation", he spent the next seven hours or so praising both video game players and developer for supporting his work.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>A day like today really makes you appreciate the communities, both the local one and the online. Thank you. All of you rock.</p>&mdash; David S Gallant (@davidsgallant) <a href="https://twitter.com/davidsgallant/status/296392046619537410">January 29, 2013</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>I know everyone keeps saying that I can focus on creating now, &amp; that will happen, but fact is: I have to focus on paying the rent too.</p>&mdash; David S Gallant (@davidsgallant) <a href="https://twitter.com/davidsgallant/status/296394743569592320">January 29, 2013</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>So many developers I admire and respect are tweeting support for me, and encouragement to buy my game. I could cry.</p>&mdash; David S Gallant (@davidsgallant) <a href="https://twitter.com/davidsgallant/status/296472699864240128">January 30, 2013</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>@<a href="https://twitter.com/4sublimehealing">4sublimehealing</a> You have no idea. The outpouring of support (including a huge sales boost) has been utterly overwhelming.</p>&mdash; David S Gallant (@davidsgallant) <a href="https://twitter.com/davidsgallant/status/296485106489643008">January 30, 2013</a></blockquote>

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You can buy the game over on Gallant's website.