Game development is more transparent than you think

destructoid.com:

In the wake of the GTA VI leaks last week, a lot of people online made it very clear that they don’t know anything about how video games are made and embarrassed themselves online. One particularly egregious comment stated that visuals are the first thing finished in game development — which is just laughably false. Look, I’m as privy to making false assumptions as the next person, but “fans” going out of their way to harass game developers because they refuse to use Google’s most basic functionality is no one’s fault but their own.

I don’t mean to be harsh, and it is true that game development can be exclusive and gate-keepy — especially to those of marginalized backgrounds. But when it comes to situations where player expectations clash with the reality of what it’s like to make games, players often seem to revert to the argument that game developers are too secretive about what goes on behind the scenes.

There’s an endless list of reasons why leaks suck, but players seeing early footage of a highly anticipated title before the devs are ready to show something is up there. It’s like having someone walk in on you while you’re changing. That’s why all these takes about the game looking “unfinished” are so mindbogglingly silly — it literally is unfinished.

Then there’s the issue with social media making everyone feel like an expert, and feel like they need to share their unwarranted opinions — which is something none of us are immune to. Seeking out game devs online with some entitled crybaby comments about something they know absolutely nothing about, though, is when gamers really cross the line.

Just like how working in food service or retail helps you have a lot more empathy for the people working in tough situations,