Bad news for prospective games developers...

[Daws]

http://www.livejournal.com/users/ea_spouse/

This scares me. A lot.

 

[Dillyana]

I'm not totally surprised and do not know how much truth there is in that post: but it's scary nonetheless.

 

[Chronictank]

good thing im not in the comp game devlopment business

 

[Asha]

12 hour days 7 days a week for weeks on end?
I don't believe it tbh.
Her husband is probably just having an affair.

Also this person keeps saying it's their SO, yet she remembers things said in his interview and she has heard managers say this and that. Doesn't add up.

 

[Conchabar]

i belive there is alot of truth in this ive spoken to afew ppl in the industry and they quit after afew years no social life no time for friends just work work work .... although i think abit of this has been fabricated heeh

 

[Daws]

12 hour days 7 days a week for weeks on end?
I don't believe it tbh.
Her husband is probably just having an affair.

Also this person keeps saying it's their SO, yet she remembers things said in his interview and she has heard managers say this and that. Doesn't add up.

They both work for EA by the looks of it - she just doesn't make that clear.

 

[Cawr]

I can belive the account to be true, EA are currently the largest games software publisher on the face of the planet and I doubt they got there without cutting corners.

I wouldn't worry too much about this, its an isolated case, not every EA programmer will work 90hour weeks. Take note mind, I've spoken to a dozen or so people that have worked for developers from Konami to Rare and making games is fucking hard work.

 

[ST^]

Ooooooooooold!

On another note, if the guy doesn't like it, he could quit.

 

[Daedalus]

EA is known to pull off shit tricks like these on small studios. Bastards.

 

[Natswoo]

9am to 10pm = 13 hr day not 12... either he can't add or EA are using some strange time controlling device

 

[cog]

...or EA are using some strange time controlling device

Wouldnt put it past them

 

[Conchabar]

9am to 10pm = 13 hr day not 12... either he can't add or EA are using some strange time controlling device

maybe she discounted breaks from the math

 

[Teiten]

9am to 10pm = 13 hr day not 12... either he can't add or EA are using some strange time controlling device

but also in some (most maybe) workplaces there is a one 2x 30 mintues lunch breaks. which wont be added into your "working time" thus the 12 hours not 13!

 

[Asha]

in usa if you're catagorised a certain way, then there is no regulations about breaks, over time pay, etc...

obviously they just need a game designers guild... errr union

 

[Raven]

EA are shit anyway so he is clearly wasting 12 hours a day 6 days a week

 

[Conchabar]

EA are shit anyway so he is clearly wasting 12 hours a day 6 days a week

u make more money then ea ?

 

[Raven]

u make more money then ea ?

no, but with the right marketing you could sell anything to Americans

 

[Driwen]

12 hour days 7 days a week for weeks on end?
I don't believe it tbh.
Her husband is probably just having an affair.

Also this person keeps saying it's their SO, yet she remembers things said in his interview and she has heard managers say this and that. Doesn't add up.

the comments confirm what is said by ea_spouse though. Also that it isnt that uncommon in the industry itself.

Personally I cant see the use of making people burn out and making them not go to work (well I am guessing that they would prefer not to, if they dont get fired ofc). As it means they are less productive per hour and people might be looking to switch jobs, so while your employees might work harder they might actually produce less.

 

[Bishibosh]

EA are shit anyway so he is clearly wasting 12 hours a day 6 days a week

I've gotta agree that I hate EA for several reasons... Firstly, they invented that cursed game the Sims, which first got my 3 sisters addicted to my pc. Secondly, they saw how successful the fantastic Goldeneye was on the N64 and thought "Ooooooooooooooooooooooooohhhh, the success was nothing to do with the brilliant gameplay or anything, it was simply because they based it on James Bond!", and so snatched the licence and have since made around 6427 Bond games to date. Unfortunately, they're all utter crap, I've never known anyone who's bought more than one EA 007 game before learning their lesson and steering clear. The final insult in that category is that EA named their latest Bond game "Goldeneye- Rogue Agent" in an attempt to fool people into believing that it's a sequel to the N64 game. I see EA as a big, red faced, grumpy farmer who goes around stealing cows to put in his barn and milk to death.

 

[fionnel]

People who work more than 40 hrs/5 days need to get organised and protest against their company, chances are that in any part of the western world their rights will be protected.

 

[IainC]

Been there. Done that.

A company I used to work for which I'm not going to name, told us we weren't getting paid for overtime anymore - despite the fact that we were so understaffed we were working 80-100 hour weeks to hit deadlines. They also told us that if we missed deadlines we'd face disciplinaries.

I resigned on the spot so the story has a happier ending than the original poster's.

 

[Chesnox]

Its inexcusable that an employer will treat its employees that poorly. Its also inexcusable for employees to allow thier employer to get away with it. This guy is presumably working in the USA right? not some sweatshop in Hong Kong. He has employee rights, the right to withdraw his labour, the right to quit, the right to organise his fellow employees against such pizzpoor treatment by his employees. If his most effective solution to his predicament is to get his wife to post an anonymous blog, then he probably deserves such shabby treatment.

I suspect the motivation behind this post isn't a whinge at EAs employment practices, or the obviously flawed Californian Law that exempts programmers on less than $90k from being exploited. I suspect its a whinge at EA in general, and imho is misguided. Since California is the shyster lawyer capital of the cosmos, and EA are a company that divides opinion, this couple would be better served spending their efforts on finding likeminded downtrodden EA employees and families, and hiring one of those shytster lawyers and trying to make a difference. Not just clogging up the internet with more whines (like I have just done )

 

[IainC]

He has employee rights, the right to withdraw his labour, the right to quit, the right to organise his fellow employees against such pizzpoor treatment by his employees. If his most effective solution to his predicament is to get his wife to post an anonymous blog, then he probably deserves such shabby treatment.

The right to see his house and car reposessed, the right to eat noodles six days a week, the right to tell his kids they can't have new shoes or that Santa won't be coming this year.
I dunno if you've noticed, it's not a good time to be without a job - even a crappy one at the moment.

 

[Chesnox]

The right to see his house and car reposessed, the right to eat noodles six days a week, the right to tell his kids they can't have new shoes or that Santa won't be coming this year.
I dunno if you've noticed, it's not a good time to be without a job - even a crappy one at the moment.

Given the choice, what would you take? Your daddy home at Christmas, paying you attention, doing Daddy things? Or an absent father out earning so you can have the latest presents at Christmas, which he won't see you open anyway because hes either at work or asleep.

Come on. In places with modern economies like California, intelligent and educated people have alternatives to being worked to death by uncaring and exploitative employers. If they choose not to take those alternatives, because they value material posessions over quality of life then the problem is at thier feet, not thier employers. The guy lives and works (presumably) in California, hardly a hotbed of poverty or a US state reknowned for its poor job prospects, especially for ppl in the IT industry. He has the power to better his predicament, but he chooses not to. No sympathy here I am afraid.

 

[Boni]

Ive worked in the games industry for 10+yrs, and ill certainly see what EA have to offer when I go back to work. A lot of bitter ex employees write a lot of crap about people they worked for.

EA are shit anyway so he is clearly wasting 12 hours a day 6 days a week

Unfortunatly EA arent shit, they are possibly the best games company ever on paper... If you take a look at average review scores, units sold almost any demographic EA are either very strong or top, EA both make a lot of money and write a good standard of game. (Yes they spin out a million identicle sports games, but they are a business and thats what sells).

 

[Conchabar]

the games industry is cruel live with it. and if u cant stfu

 

[Thorwyn]

12 hour shifts, 7 days / week, sleeping in the office isn´t uncommon. It´s pretty much the standard during crunch time. Idealism is a lost virtue in todays gaming industry. You´re gonna lose it pretty quickly.

 

[Gear]

Labour rights are essential in any modern society. If you can't think of that in a propper manner, you've probably never worked in your life.

It is common sense and proper managment to keep a happy workforece in all the aspects of their life. 90% chance they will be more productive during their working hours. I am not feeling like analysing marginal utility theories, it's basic economics however, check your a-level books and you'll find some references.

 

[Hawkwind]

If you dont like the sound of those hours there are plenty of industries to stay away from:

Junior Doctors (interns)
Printers
Aircraft Mechs/Avionics

To name but a few.

The UK is notorious for working longest hours in Europe. The get out clauses for the sub 40 hour week were just too easy to get around.

In the end, you have a choice, either put up with it or walk. I have one of those jobs where I can sit around for 2 or 3 days with sod all to do, then the following week i'm working 12 hour days 7 days on the trot. No overtime, some comp time. Its life, I enjoy my work so I put up with it.

 

[Thorwyn]

Well.. it´s more of a trade off. You´re getting the coolest job in the world, unlimited access to all kind of games, groupies waiting for you in the parking lot, Ferraris and a free premium subscription for an online gaming mag of your choice.