These problems are not isolated to the gaming industry. I've worked as a CG artist in advertising and gaming for nearly 10 years. The large companies get the bad publicity, but nearly every job from the small unknown companies and up especially in the art fields feature some form of exploitation. Any industry built around deadlines and art production will. Working extra hours is the norm, the issue is that it usually isn't compensated. The closest I've ever come to being reimbursed for working overtime was being able to take overtime hours as vacation time later. I have never received overtime pay in 10 years. As an artist I cannot simply hop between jobs with perfect working hours and pay. Artists do need some sort of protection because they cannot do it themselves. Many start out having martyr complexes and simply do the extra work no questions asked. When you're creating your portfolio you spend countless hours perfecting work. Many of us are used to putting in extreme hours before ever being employed. It becomes a negative when you're no longer working on a labour of love for yourself, rather doing it in a poorly lit office for a company executing whatever it is they want done.

I don't think unions per se are the ideal solution, but someone needs to enforce labour codes. The companies simply will not do it themselves.

In the end I see only one real solution..
Get into a senior position which is unrealistic for many, or get out of development\art related trades and change careers completely. That's what I'm currently working towards. Of course I have intentionally kept myself debt and child free (I blow my money on other things like jumping out of planes to compensate) so for me it's easier than friends who have built families on their art careers.

Programmer devs are lucky in that they at least can hop into programming fields unrelated to the deadline crunch nature of the games industry.

This comment was edited on Aug 17, 2012, 11:10.

I'm pretty sure he's not referring to you, Cutter.

But just in case let that asinine comment come out... I wanna read it.

Suckage wrote on Aug 16, 2012, 23:28:
A self-professed gaming enthusiast expects the people who make actual games to take it up the ass to provide for his entertainment.. Glorious.

You better not refering to me or I'll be forced to put you in your place with such an remarkably asinine comment.

A self-professed gaming enthusiast expects the people who make actual games to take it up the ass to provide for his entertainment.. Glorious.

Tumbler wrote on Aug 16, 2012, 21:06:
I'm shocked! I've never heard of companies...oh wait wait, yes I have. this is how you run a successful game studio. you refuse to give me any credit employees that don't bend to every demand you can possibly think up. That's right 14 hour days, you want credit don't you? And before the game ships you drop an employment contract on them and if they don't sign it, you fire them. if they do sign you just signed skilled labor for another 2 years at pennies on the dollar. the best part is they are going to burn out within a year or two and you can replace them with somebody even cheaper who hasn't finished the first game yet. rinse and repeat.

This industry need unions.

Why does it need unions? If you have the skills they want and need you're going to get paid well and do things on your terms, if not then they really don't need you and you should feel fortunate you have a job. No one is forcing anyone to work in this industry and anyone that has skillsets that can be applied to it can easily be applied elsewhere. There's a ton of mediocre and bad talent in this industry and they're happpy to take that sort of abuse just so they can say they work making games for a living.

I worked for EA and put up with abuse for 2 years because I fell into that category of being non-essential but wanting to be involved in gaming. When I had enough of their shit I left. I make a lot more money, work a lot less hours, and I'm a lot happier. Problem solved. No union required. I've worked for unions too and they can be just as bad if not worse. Difference is I've never heard of a good union but I've heard of - and worked for - good management.

Well at least the game has a shitty 60 Degree FOV, zero video options, an annoying auto face every second with half ass PC controls.

Consider yourself lucky...

I'm shocked! I've never heard of companies...oh wait wait, yes I have. this is how you run a successful game studio. you refuse to give me any credit employees that don't bend to every demand you can possibly think up. That's right 14 hour days, you want credit don't you? And before the game ships you drop an employment contract on them and if they don't sign it, you fire them. if they do sign you just signed skilled labor for another 2 years at pennies on the dollar. the best part is they are going to burn out within a year or two and you can replace them with somebody even cheaper who hasn't finished the first game yet. rinse and repeat.

This industry need unions.