And his feeling if isolation as a contractor rather than an employee, especially in a department full of contractors, is his own damn fault. I've never had a contract position that felt isolated for long. But then, I don't ever treat anyone differently than respected coworkers, so they quickly learn to treat me nicely, too.
"I talked to all the producers and developers and level designers I could to ensure... they would know my name." People see that shit coming from a mile away. He got pegged as a slimeball early, that's why he didn't make any progress.
"Once, I worked an entire weekend on a voluntary basis." As a contractor, this is the surest way to lose everyone's respect.
The article title is just inviting the Prisoner's Dilemma. Ain't going to happen. For every shmoe who calls for a strike, there's another shmoe ready to fill his spot. Games won't get better until they stop being made by-and-for petulant children, be they 13 or 30.