Which phase in the systems development life cycle is the most critical when building a video game?

Which phase in the systems development life cycle is the least critical when building a video game? If you were consulting to a business that wanted to build a video game for the iPhone, which development methodology would you recommend and why?

What is a prototype and why would a new game benefit from building one?

What are the three interdependent variables shaping project management? Why are these variables important to a video game software development project?

Why is the cost of finding errors important to a business when developing and designing video games?

What are the ethical and security issues associated with outsourcing the development of a video game to India or China?