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Crunch Culture

All articles tagged with #crunch culture

Bulkhead CEO Clarifies Crunch Hiring Practices After Backlash
video-games26 days ago

Bulkhead CEO Clarifies Crunch Hiring Practices After Backlash

Bulkhead CEO Joe Brammer clarified his studio's hiring practices after backlash over comments about screening candidates for anti-crunch views. He stated that while crunch is not mandatory, the studio expects hard work and screens public social media to ensure cultural fit. Brammer emphasized that employees who own shares receive significant financial rewards, and that the studio has experimented with flexible work models, including a four-day week, to balance intense periods of overtime.

via Aftermath|
#bulkhead#crunch-culture#joe-brammer
Bulkhead CEO Clarifies Hiring Practices After Wardogs Crunch Controversy
gaming-industry26 days ago

Bulkhead CEO Clarifies Hiring Practices After Wardogs Crunch Controversy

Bulkhead CEO Joe Brammer issued a statement to Eurogamer following backlash over his comments that the studio screens candidates' social media for anti-crunch messaging. Brammer clarified that his remarks were informal and that any screening complies with UK law. He detailed a specific instance of optional crunch for the Wardogs beta, noting that four staff members opted out without penalty. The studio defends its culture by highlighting financial bonuses and equity for employees, despite ongoing debates about the ethics of linking career success to overtime tolerance.

via Eurogamer.net|
#bulkhead#crunch-culture#gaming-industry
Bulkhead CEO Admits Filtering Candidates for Anti-Crunch Views
gaming27 days ago

Bulkhead CEO Admits Filtering Candidates for Anti-Crunch Views

Bulkhead CEO Joe Brammer stated that the studio reviews candidates' social media accounts and rejects those who publicly criticize crunch culture. Brammer acknowledged that while the studio tries to avoid crunch, it is inevitable, and argued that employees who oppose such practices would not be happy at the company. The studio, which recently released the hit game Wardogs, offers financial bonuses to shareholding employees but has also conducted annual layoffs for six years.

via Kotaku|
#bulkhead#crunch-culture#gaming
Rockstar Games Hit With New Allegations of Crunch, Pay Gaps, and Bonus Manipulation
business3 months ago

Rockstar Games Hit With New Allegations of Crunch, Pay Gaps, and Bonus Manipulation

Former Rockstar Games Workers Union members allege ongoing crunch culture, opaque pay and bonus practices used to control staff, and a widening gender pay gap, with unionization efforts pressing for voluntary recognition; Take-Two responds by highlighting competitive compensation and openness to dialogue while noting past criticisms of working conditions ahead of GTA 6.

via Insider Gaming|
#business#crunch-culture#gta-6
Former Naughty Dog Employee: Crunch Is Part of Making Games at Their Level
gaming6 months ago

Former Naughty Dog Employee: Crunch Is Part of Making Games at Their Level

A former Naughty Dog employee claims crunch culture intensified after Uncharted and The Last of Us and was effectively accepted by leadership as the price of making games at the studio’s level, with internal deadlines treated as external ones and bonuses tied to extra work. Refusing crunch could lead to a negative recommendation letter, and the studio is described as leaning into crunch, including cases like Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.

via Push Square|
#crunch-culture#game-development#gaming
Baldur's Gate 3 Faced Crunch but Aims for Unmatched RPG Legacy
gaming2 years ago

Baldur's Gate 3 Faced Crunch but Aims for Unmatched RPG Legacy

Larian Studios' CEO Swen Vincke admitted that the team had to engage in some crunch while developing Baldur's Gate 3, though it was minimal and rarely required weekend work. He emphasized that overtime was compensated and that the studio's crunch was less severe compared to past projects. Additionally, Larian announced delays for the physical PS5 deluxe editions in North America and confirmed that their next game will not be related to Baldur's Gate or Dungeons and Dragons.

via Eurogamer|
#baldurs-gate-3#crunch-culture#game-development
"Occupational Burnout: The Primary Hazard in the Game Industry, According to CRPG Veteran"
games2 years ago

"Occupational Burnout: The Primary Hazard in the Game Industry, According to CRPG Veteran"

Fallout: New Vegas director Josh Sawyer believes that burnout has replaced crunch as the primary hazard in the games industry, with managers setting teams up to fail and developers suffering as collateral damage. He emphasizes the need for change and support among developers, echoing sentiments from others in the industry who have spoken out against stressful working conditions and layoffs.

via Gamesradar|
#burnout#crunch-culture#game-industry
"Naughty Dog's Evolution: From Crunching to Creative Inspiration in The Last of Us Part 2"
gaming2 years ago

"Naughty Dog's Evolution: From Crunching to Creative Inspiration in The Last of Us Part 2"

Naughty Dog, the studio behind The Last of Us Part 2, has acknowledged its reputation for crunch culture and pledged to eliminate it. The studio released a documentary discussing the impact of crunch on its employees and outlined steps taken to address the issue, including defining crunch internally, educating new hires, removing "crunch dinners," and implementing regular questionnaires. While the effectiveness of these measures remains to be seen, the studio aims to release upcoming projects without subjecting its employees to crunch, with one developer claiming that the remake of The Last of Us Part 1 was made without crunch.

via Gamesradar|
#crunch-culture#documentary#game-development
Spider-Verse Faces Backlash Over Working Conditions and Multiple Versions.
entertainment3 years ago

Spider-Verse Faces Backlash Over Working Conditions and Multiple Versions.

Over 100 artists reportedly quit working on Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse due to overwork and burnout caused by a crunch culture atmosphere at Sony Pictures Animation. The delays allegedly later forced the artists to work 11 hour days for seven days a week in order to make up the lost time. The allegations have raised concerns about the upcoming Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse and whether the movie can be completed in time for its March 29, 2024 release date. Similar practices have been reported at DC Studios regarding The Flash movie.

via Yahoo Entertainment|
#crunch-culture#entertainment#phil-lord
Ubisoft Paris workers speak out against "morally and physically exhausting" crunch culture.
gaming3 years ago

Ubisoft Paris workers speak out against "morally and physically exhausting" crunch culture.

Developers at Ubisoft Paris, the studio behind Just Dance 2023, have allegedly suffered from crunch culture, demanding management, and disputes with Ubisoft headquarters. Anonymous sources claim that the team was tasked with changing the game's engine just 11 months before launch, and bosses pushed ideas "that had to be considered at all costs" despite the team being "already underwater." Developers also alleged that paid overtime became commonplace, and a double standard was established. Ubisoft declined to comment on the claims.

via NME|
#burnout#crunch-culture#gaming