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PS3 Developer Fired For Comments
Next Generation reports on the unfortunate fallout from one PS3 developer's unflattering comments. Early in January, a developer made comments on his feelings regarding the Xbox 360 and its power/design ease vs. the PS3. Thanks to widespread internet reaction, he has been fired from his development position. From the article: "I can't believe how out of control everything got ... It's absolutely absurd how the Internet can take something relatively harmless and turn it into something so insane... Did I knowingly break NDA? I absolutely did not. I would never do that and I would never want to hurt Sony Online. Did I dance in the grey area by even opening my mouth? Yes I did and I was fired for it. So I guess the new rule for me is, don't ever say anything at all about anything. Ever...ever."
This has happened to me several times...where I've deleted a relationship, business or otherwise, by being brutally honest about it. The truth is that I always, deep down, wanted the relationship/job to end because I couldn't stand my internal bullshit meter going off every three seconds. Of course the opposite is also true, anything I truly want to be a part of will be afforded all maner of clemency.
Maybe this guy just knew that coming up with games for this thing was going to be an ordeal and his subconscious pre-empted him.
Then again, maybe this guy got fired because he is simply a classic dumbass.
Either way, you're now free to go make those soon-to-be-classic-Xbox-360-games now, former Sony developer guy.
This is true, but it also depends on the envirnment. In Corporate America, yea. Shut up, put your head down and get to work. In the Small Business Market, this is a different story.
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I started working for a startup WISP, and was on the front-lines designing, engineering, building, and installing the network. Being in that position, I knew a HELL of LOT MORE than the owner about what was and wasn't going to work. It also helped that my co-worker saw eye to eye on the wireless network implementation, but the point needed to be made that Management DIDN'T know what was best. We made this terribly aware to them as often as possible, with suprisingly little repurcusions, looking back on it now.
Point is, it depends on the environment. And in this guys case, the environment was big. You take a household namebrand like Sony, who is highly visible (on all fronts as of late; see rootkit), and throw out an opinion for all to read out of the NET expecting no repurcussion? Its almost laughable
If he really felt such a need to express these opinions, why didn't he express them to his superiors, and those up the ladder? Or is this public expression supposed to lead us to precisely ask this question?