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  • Essay / The Causes and Effects of Gaming Industry Exploitation

    Games facilitate social connections between people, but there is a group whose social connections and personal lives are being stolen in the name of development. I think it is urgent and important that we as consumers and future business leaders are aware of the causes of the exploitation of this multi-billion dollar industry and think about how we can eliminate its apparent necessity. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original EssayThe most notorious problem faced by managers and developers in this industry is 'critical time'. Most developers report working “up to 20 hours per day and more than 100 hours per week.” This is an extremely unsustainable practice, and will cause even the best talent to burn out and leave. The process is this: As a deadline approaches, a company hires en masse if it's behind schedule so it can deliver on time, and as soon as it's done, it's fired en masse to cut costs . Employees, old and new, are often not paid for their overtime. Simply put, “crisis is the cheapest way to meet a deadline.” Telltale Games and Capcom do it, and EA has been sued twice for it. It is unethical to exploit the passion of developers in this way. Large companies are able to escape this behavior by "pressuring the Canadian government to introduce overtime exemptions for software employees." Indeed, “the desire for growth perhaps has the most perverse effect on strategy”. Losing strategy changes the culture of a gaming company, leading to more psychopathic behavior. Additionally, the strong sense of camaraderie, one of the most appealing aspects of working in this industry, is lost. For example, Telltale started out as a "tight-knit group... but never properly adapted from its independent mentality to one more suited to its larger size" after the success of The Walking Dead. Not only do people no longer recognize each other, but communication is lost, and disaster begins. Having experienced game development as a founder-producer myself, I know that it can be extremely difficult to stay on schedule, even with superior collaboration and communication. The story can change endlessly, the art radically altered, and fatal errors appear just before a deadline when it's time-consuming and risky to train someone from scratch. However, poor planning is the cause of pre- and post-exit layoffs. Publishers set a release date for a game, well in advance for the development team. Rather than announcing a date, announce a deadline. This gives the entire team enough room to breathe, helps coordinate schedules for multiple projects in the ramp-up and operations stages, and avoids strenuous planning that is often derailed by unpredictable development issues. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a custom paper now from our expert writers.Get a custom essayThis also avoids hiring at the wrong time and hence huge layoffs. Sensible and strategic management at the top is essential to project success in this spinoff industry. Few industries spark as much passion as this one, which is why I'm confident a balanced solution can be found.