The Labour Department has closed its investigation into a complaint by Australian computer programmer Glenn Watson who claimed to have been pressured to work up to 120 hours a week at the Auckland studio of games-maker Gameloft.

Spokeswoman Ailsa Mannell "no substantial evidence" of a breach of health and safety laws had been found and no action would be taken against the French multinational.

Watson's description of working conditions at the Auckland studio, where he was head programmer, was widely reported in computer games publications around the world after he blew the whistle on his employer in July.

He said he resigned after a four-week stint in which he worked 14 hours-a-day, seven days a week. Watson accused Gameloft of creating artificial deadlines to encourage a frantic environment among the 70 Auckland staff and said a junior programmer had worked for 24 hours in a single, straight shift.

Watson has since returned to Australia.

Gameloft's Sydney-based spokesman Paul Puech said yesterday that it had no comment on the conclusion of the investigation and would not discuss the company's policies with regard to working hours.

The Game Developers' Association said in a November report that 21 Kiwi game developers had created a total of 114 new jobs in the year to September, taking employment in the sector to 359, and that those companies expected to add 99 more jobs in the coming year.