EA Spouse

I wholeheartedly agree, crunch is damaging to any industry over extended periods of time. It doesn't matter if you're a game developer, web developer or architect, crunch affects everyone. It is an outdated way of thinking that the game industry has failed to let go of that the more people and effort you throw at a problem, the quicker it gets solved.

The more hours you throw at a problem in my experience as a developer, you end up with more problems than you started off trying to solve. You lose focus, when you lose focus things that were once obvious are not in your peripheral vision and you make mistakes. It is akin to driving a vehicle tired, you are more likely to be in an accident.

Sadly the gaming industry is notorious for this kind of behaviour of expected crunch. Yeah, you push yourself to get out a game, but then what? You start working on another new game or DLC for the current game and you find yourself working 80 hour weeks again, what was the benefit of those long hours other than keeping your job? It is a repeating cycle.

People have been decrying the crunch in the gaming industry especially since the 90's and yet, nothing ever changes or improves. Someone writes a blog post or article, people unanimously agree things need to change and then it all blows over until the next article comes along. What's it going to take: a spate of sleep-deprived, stressed game developers taking their own lives?

I accept the fact that avoiding crunch altogether is…

Working in an area you're passionate about doesn't mean you have to work more, even if it's a startup.

I know people who work in startups do great work, but no overtime, and finish what they have to finish on time. On the other hand, I have seen established companies which expect you do overtime with no overpay, because they pay you more than competitors already.

While I'm not working in a startup, I turned down numerous job offers just because I love my job and money is not my primary motivation, like the author of the post. I also did my share of overtime and oft-glorified all-nighters for a long period of time. On the other hand, I'll argue that all-nighters are unnecessary most of the time, and a good indicator of mismanagement.

Game developers love their job and I respect them with all my being, but they are exploited far too often. This still rings in my head from time to time: https://ea-spouse.livejournal.com/274.html

This posts seems to resonate well with the "Electronic Arts Spouse"-post from 2004:

http://ea-spouse.livejournal.com/274.html

(Poor management, poor planning, dropping productivity per hour worked as the workday is increased).

It's nothing new of course, Ford pushed for 8 hour shifts, not out of the kindness of his heart.

As for working "for free" -- that could be seen as poor labour laws. Norway has very strict rules regarding work hours (and compensation). Not that they're not broken -- but generally only managers (or others who realistically can set their own hours) are allowed effectively unlimited over time.

If this is what you think, you have not worked long enough to know you are wrong.

Read this: http://ea-spouse.livejournal.com/274.html

Lots of people have that environment but then get compensated a lot more to deal with it (unlike EA).

Go ask folks you know who have been in the workforce for a decade, they will most assuredly tell you that the different between $100K and $110K is $0. Even the difference between $100K and like $140K is still fairly marginal when you compare it to the other things you may or may not be giving up. I mention a bunch of those things to consider in my post.

Just get out of the game development industry and move to another software development type. It's much better on the other side.

It was obviously bad in 2004 with public exposes, and it is still the same today: https://ea-spouse.livejournal.com/274.html

Game development will improve its working conditions when nobody wants to work for a game company, until then they will be underpaid and overworked compared other software development types. There is a crazy hot hiring market elsewhere in the industry, do your part by walking away.

I'd like to hear more about this line from their job listings:

http://www.quora.com/jobs

"You should be ready to make this startup the primary focus of your life"

That could mean a wide range of things - from social engagement and occasional dinners at work (as described in the post) to

http://www.jwz.org/gruntle/nscpdorm.html

or

http://ea-spouse.livejournal.com/274.html