Straying over from my normal domain, but I have to comment on this as someone with 15+years of management and executive experience in the software industry (and my company also markets products for the largest value games company in the US). When a product gets planned, release estimates are made and engineering plays a significant role in creating those estimates. The writer seems to be laying all of this on "producers". Im not buying that "producers" make decisions in a vacuum, any more than executives do at Microsoft. Given the complexity of the products, software estimates are shots in the dark. These EA engineers are having a hard time, and Im completely sympathetic. Ive seen happy marriages turn into divorces over mangled schedules. But engineers are craftsman of a very complex and very expensive craft. Just because a product is late, doesnt mean EA isnt obligated to pay up for all of their pre-sales marketing preparations that are utterly time based (like Christmas sales). EA's risk is huge. Engineers share in this risk by nature of their craft and having to cope with extremely tough conditions if a product is late. There's a movement in some segments of the tech industry to unionize, and this problem with EA would seem to be a call for that. I predict, however, if engineers have to be paid overtime and unionization ruminations continue, it will simply drive more and more engineering overseas. Many game companies are already doing it -- its not hard to find great talent overseas if you know what you are doing. Software engineers in California are extremely well paid compared to the rest of the country -- that pay takes into account the risks involved. So I say to you, disgruntled spouse, are you prepared for your husband to lose his job to talented Russian, Indian and Chinese engineers when EA re-evaluates the costs of complying with what you are suggesting? Best regards, Lynn Fredricks President Proactive International, LLC http://www.proactive-intl.com