Story time, Friday Vintage Gaming edition.
I bump into many figures from The Old Days of game development. Names big and small. I always ask about interviews or collaboration, just in case. One said no, and I will always remember why.
I bump into many figures from The Old Days of game development. Names big and small. I always ask about interviews or collaboration, just in case. One said no, and I will always remember why.
He worked at a big name company in the 1980s. You'd recognize the company, but I don't really want folks going on a hunt. This guy was a programmer as well a project manager, and he's gone on to many other things. I asked him if I could interview him some time. He said no way.
He said that at one point, working on a game many of us know, a programmer had a breakdown. Too many 20 hour days, too many weeks of endless, relentless pressure with management coming by threatening that they had to make the deadline.
His family checks him into a psych ward.
His family checks him into a psych ward.
The deadline was very close and this programmer was the only one who could finish it.
The person I was talking to was tasked by the company to go to the hospital, claim he was a caregiver, and check the programmer out.
To make him finish the game.
The person I was talking to was tasked by the company to go to the hospital, claim he was a caregiver, and check the programmer out.
To make him finish the game.
And he said to me "I'll never go on camera and say that company was good in any way, ever."
Crunch time is not a point of pride, a macho flag of dedication. It's a health risk and any company that flaunts it is garbage.
Avoid, no matter how much you love the brand.
Crunch time is not a point of pride, a macho flag of dedication. It's a health risk and any company that flaunts it is garbage.
Avoid, no matter how much you love the brand.
