Gamasutra - Are Publishers A Necessary Evil?
Developers and publishers often have a curious relationship. The best analogy I can think of is that of parent and child. The publisher or parent thinks it knows best, because it's been there before (shipped more games), and because "it's my money, so you'll live by my rules."

The developer or child is rebellious, and thinks it has all the answers. In many ways, it does know more than the parent, and is closer to what's innovative, but maybe hasn't figured out how to hone that energy yet. I could take this analogy further, with talk of advice, feedback loops, and misunderstandings, but ultimately, publishers have the money and the marketing, while developers have the creative spirit and know-how.

Destructoid - Nothing is sacred: Death of the story.
But videogames, from the programmers who create them to the users that consume them, have finally diverted from the typical conventions of the big, bad film industry to develop into their own medium, their own glorified art form that basks in deserved praise of player immersion and technological innovation. Why, then, do we still cling so desperately to the tried, true, yet tired course of linear storytelling? Yes, it provides the structure of a game -- a path for both designer and gamer to follow. Yes, reaching a conclusion provide one would hope -- some manner of catharsis that makes the previous hours battling of one's way to the credits feel worthwhile. But let's grow the f**k up, shall we?