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[joestraitiff]

So I'm posting under my real name -- you have to stand up to this type of thing or it will continue. And every company will become EA so that can compete... Remember, you can't spell ExploitAtion without EA

Comments

[super_nyanko]

Much of my experience parelled yours at EA, except I wasn't fired. In fact, I resigned this morning and sited the long hours in my letter of resignation. And I know you, I'm going to send you email soon because unlike you I'm not brave enough to be anonymous! The timing of this thread and my resignation have been quite a coincidence.

Best of luck! I think we have a lot of company.

[super_nyanko]

how superb would it be if EVERYONE resigned from that hell hole?

[super_nyanko]

Yeah, but I was lucky that I could. Like other people have said, people have different financial obligations. I really needed a new car and almost bought one but I was like "do I want to be further chained to this job I totally hate?" Nope! I didn't buy a new car, left soon after. Still need a new car but am waiting until I can be chained to a job that I like... :)

[atari_eric]

As someone who was in a similar boat: Try getting a newer used car. Particularly, for a good deal, go to rental car companies that sell cars - generally the buy new cars every year (their clients don't like last year's models) and they sell the year-olds off. They may have significant mileage, but some may not have been driven too much - check and compare. I made the mistake of buying a fully new car right before getting laid off - a financial disaster.

[octantis]

Hi! I followed a link here from ea_spouse's excellent article, and wanted to say I sympathize, and thanks for sharing that experience. I worked for EA as a lowly tester for several years, and was on a few Sims products, including Online. (Or SOL as we liked to call it.) As the little grunts we were, we weren't privvy all the inner workings of Maxis and their relationship with EA, but before Maxis got drawn into the mothership, we saw some awful battles between them. EA usually regained some sense and backed off, but it was readily apparent they really, really wanted to try mixing this oil and water. I guess that didn't go over well, and I wonder how else oppressive EA leadership has effected Maxis. (Though I have to admit, Maxis itself sometimes threw us for a loop. They have an interesting culture.)

[josienutter]

I feel especially bad for the Maxis testers.

A little bird told me:
They used to work very closely with the rest of the team, but once Maxis moved to EA, the testers got thrown into the general test pool with the rest of the [2nd class citizens].

Imagine going from an integrated part of the team to being almost completely cut off by inefficient bureaucracy.

[octantis]

That little bird is 110% right. I feel awful for those guys. They got treated like shit. Still treated like shit, too - it seems like they won't be happy until all the Maxis testers are stomped out.

[octantis]

Not to mention that it's worse for *everybody*, not just the testers. It sucks for us in the "Maxis proper" area, as well, because our access and communication with the testers sucks. It's a stupid choice.

Hey there

[epiphaniesrus]

Hey Joe, I don't need to be public either but I worked with you at Midway Games West. I'd ask how it's going but I think I know. Anyway, just wanted to let you know that you did the right thing. I only wish that Ricky Gervais would come in and film a documentary of EA's inner workings so that everyone could see how it really is.

Yeah, once your manager has it in for you there's pretty much no way to get around the fact that they're going to look for reasons to be displeased. Add in the fact that even EA's HR isn't on the side of the worker and you've got no one to make things right. But my experience as of late is that it's a coder's job market at the moment, so you should have no trouble - hope this posting doesn't give you trouble with non-EA entities...

Re: Hey there

[epiphaniesrus]

whoa!! its a mgw reunion!

joe, sorry to hear of your dealings with ea..

-the coder whose office was next to josh's

Re: Hey there

[epiphaniesrus]

Indeed it is a MGW reunion.
-the artist who is now legally bound to Josh (and left EA)

Re: Hey there

[epiphaniesrus]

MGW - Now there was a great team of Mad Scientists in that lab. I miss em' badly.

Come to sunny San Diego! Neil's not around anymore!

The Designer with the Orange Couch
xweazel@yahoo.com

[brentturbeaux]

Man, there's been a sudden explosion of anti-EA sentiment on the web today. I appreciate all the info -- I was supposed to talk to EA this week. No longer! I had heard horrow stories, but I thought it was just a couple of isolated cases. Perhaps all this rising up will lead to something positive, and not just fade away in a few days.

Thanks!

It's not just this week

[darkrowan]

The only difference this week is persons have come forward to speak up and be counted. The EA-haters have been around for far longer.

Re: It's not just this week

[kunikos]

EA hating has been going on since they gobbled up Bullfrog, Origin, and others and their founders all were forced out by management bafoonery...

make sure to tell them why

[beergeek]

when you cancel the contact. Having prospective employees cancel on them for their reputation is a great way to start getting the point across.

Heck, people who /aren't/ interested in working there should set up appointments just to cancel them after 'doing some research on the work environment'.

[josienutter]

Everyone I know who's left the company I work for (Crystal Dynamics) to go to EA has come back. Well... except psychomofo. I tease him about being a slave to his [admittedly nicer] paycheck though.

Anyway. If you're not completely burnt out on games, I think we've got a few programming positions open on Tomb Raider... :D

jnutter @ crystald.com

[funkatron]

Hey, I didn't know you worked in the industry. Cool.

[epiphaniesrus]

Hey there, nice to meet you amongst the awesomeness of the big EA backlash. I'm joining Crystal on TR in 2.5 weeks... hope it's as great as you say... :)

[josienutter]

No company's perfect, but it's a HELL of a lot better than where I came from (a bit like these stories about EA, but imagine a studio of less than 1/5th the size...).