While I have never worked there, I think the assumption pre-IPO was that yes you might get abused but it will all be worth it in the end because of the equity - remember Zynga according to tech blogs was the hottest thing coming out of the oven a couple years ago.
This also isn't all that unusual of an attitude in a hyped startup - management will abuse you (ahem, I mean expose you to a dynamic exciting work environment) and you will take it because your going to be rich in a few years... or not.
I find that quote interesting. Your gamer friend might not have given you the context of the game, but it's interesting:
You pretty much know there is no cake. GLaDOS, the malevolent and controlling AI telling you there is cake, lies to you consistently. You catch on quickly that she's lying.
The warning "The cake is a lie" is scrawled in blood inside a hidden antechamber, inside one of the levels.
Somehow I feel like there are parallels here that you stumbled on more or less accidentally. Or maybe I'm being far too literary.
Technically I think orbit can be achieved ballistically, or even planetary/solar escape but the overwhelming majority of projectiles do land. And some of them very hard, others barely get off the ground. All of which makes it quite a good metaphor really although not the originally intended one.
This also isn't all that unusual of an attitude in a hyped startup - management will abuse you (ahem, I mean expose you to a dynamic exciting work environment) and you will take it because your going to be rich in a few years... or not.