Stop. (Gaming)

by CruelLEGACEY , Toronto, Thursday, October 25, 2018, 14:21 (2006 days ago) @ cheapLEY

I think we both want the same thing here. I'm just pointing out that people have individual responsibilities when it comes to the relationships they choose to enter.

I don't disagree with that at all. But that's exactly what is happening. Developers are not advocating for anyone to boycott this game, as the thread has pointed out. They are doing their jobs, but they are bringing the issues they face to light, in an effort to get these companies to better their own labor practices.

I do think this is explicitly what the government should be doing. This is what government is for--to look out for the well-being of its citizens. The US should absolutely have better labor laws. Forced (or pressured) overtime without pay should absolutely be illegal. We're talking about making game, not trying to save a life. And this is also Rockstar. They're not hurting for money, they can afford to tackle these issues.

I was in the military, I know what it's like to be overworked and underappreciated. I worked 12-16 hour shifts with no days off for over a month at a time several times a year. And I didn't have a choice. Sure, I signed that contract willingly, but there's no backing out. There was no quitting. It fucking sucks. We can talk about whether its necessary for a military to operate like that, ostensibly in the name of getting the job done and protecting citizens, but there is absolutely no good reason for a video game company to operate under those conditions, especially one as large and with pockets as deep as Rockstar's.

This isn't just a video game problem, though. That's why I advocate so strongly for better labor laws. I recognize that sometimes there is a job that has to get done, and it requires a time sacrifice. But that sacrifice shouldn't only be at the expense of employees. If you want an employee to stay later than they are supposed to, you should have to pay them for it.

I don't disagree with any of that. I don't know what the answer is... but I'm nervous and cautious when it comes to any additions/tweaks to government-enforced labour laws, because there's such a tricky balancing act going on. I'm greatful for the labour laws that we have here in Canada (fairly similar to America's labour laws, all things considered). But these laws, these standards, are a large part of why so many jobs have been driven out of our respective countries. That doesn't mean I want the laws gone either... I don't know nearly enough to be able to make any helpful suggestions on those lines. But there are a few truisms that I tend to return to again and again. For example, when a government brings in new laws (labour laws, in this case), the intended outcome and the actual outcome are almost never the same thing. The government could step in and put more restrtictive laws on US developers, and then the next thing we know, studios all over the country might just move or outsource. Instead of exploitive games industry jobs, there might be no game industry jobs.

I'm not saying that is what would happen... I'm just trying to explain why I think these sorts of imbalances are best solved by negotiation between the 2 parties directly involved (employee and employer). Perhaps Cody's idea of a union is decent idea.