At the time it was to sneak credits past corporate approval (Atari felt that since video games weren't considered art crediting game developers was as ridiculou

At the time it was to sneak credits past corporate approval (Atari felt that since video games weren't considered art crediting game developers was as ridiculous as crediting their office window curtai). Their hidden nature sometimes allowd devs to vent their grievances or take pot shots at their management and colleagues. The whole point then was that they were hidden from the testing phase of the final product. In that specific context it is an act of rebellion.