Mmmm. I wonder if the key distinction is the 'not games' part, because in the games field, it's a *creative* industry. Everyone is ultimately aware they're making an entertainment product. At the code grunt level, all we really wanted to do was make something fun and get it out to people... and it was always irritating when management, publishers or whatever got in the way of that. The OT might be necessary (my personal record was 6AM... and going in to work the following afternoon!), but we didn't do it because it was necessary, we did it because we cared about the product.
What you're describing is absolutely fine for an engineering job, a job where you're always very conscious that you are making a product specifically for a given client for their specifications, and your job is to meet those specifications. The mindset with gaming, though, as far as Joe Grunt Coder is concerned, we're making a game for the end user, not the publisher. Ultimately the publisher calls the final shots, but I've fought many a battle where I firmly believe that what they're asking for is detrimental to the end-user experience. Admittedly often without much success, but you have to fight, because when you win a small battle, you know you've done right by the people who really matter.
(A small aside, but notable given recent news: On Sniper Elite on the original Xbox, you can play multiplayer internationally between the US and the EU. That's something I'm quite happy to take full credit for, and I have to admit I took risks to do so. Sometimes, the battles are worth it.)
Now, there's certainly an argument that the games industry is shifting towards the latter process, but I do hope you won't claim that that's a good thing!