Bloody Hell, Not Again? Naughty Dog's 'Most Ambitious Game' Comes with a Familiar Crunch.
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Naughty Dog reportedly mandated crunch – including extra hours and five days in-office – for a demo of their upcoming 'most ambitious game,' *Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet*, stirring up familiar concerns about developer well-being following similar issues during *The Last of Us Part 2*'s development.
Right, so I've been tinkering with the latest news out of Naughty Dog, and honestly, it feels a bit like we’ve cast this spell before, hasn’t it? You know that sinking feeling when you hear a grand promise, but then the whispers start about the magic behind the curtain? Well, it seems the wizards at the famed *The Last of Us* and *Uncharted* studio have been pulling some rather familiar all-nighters, all for the sake of their shiny new demo.
Apparently, according to a recent report by Bloomberg (and originally brought to my attention by Victoria Phillips Kennedy over at Eurogamer – cheers, mate!), Naughty Dog recently mandated a period of 'crunch' for their staff. This wasn't some optional, valiant last stand, mind you; we're talking 'mandatory' overtime to get a demo for their next big title, *Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet*, ready for parent company Sony. Sounds like they missed a few deadlines, which, fair enough, happens to the best of us when you're trying to bend reality to your will, digitally speaking.
Now, 'mandatory overtime' is a phrase that always makes my internal alarm bells go off like a goblin raid on a peaceful village. Staff were reportedly asked to clock in a minimum of eight extra hours a week, with a cap at 60 total hours. But wait, there's more! On top of the extended hours, developers were instructed to trek into the office five days a week, a bump up from the previous three-day mandate. Can you imagine the logistical nightmare? Suddenly, you're scrambling for extra childcare, trying to find someone to walk your digital familiar, all because the corporate orb decreed more face time. It’s a proper headache, and frankly, a bit unfair to spring on people.
Apparently, this particular bout of intense spell-casting began in late October and wrapped up just this week for many – coincidentally, right after that demo for *Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet* was reportedly completed. Studio management has supposedly promised a return to the three-day in-office mandate for January. But you know how it is with these things; once the genie's out of the bottle, folks naturally start wondering if it'll decide to pop back out again.
Now, here's where my memory starts playing tricks, or rather, showing a clear pattern. This isn't Naughty Dog's first rodeo with mandated crunch, is it? Nope, not by a long shot. Back in 2020, the studio was the subject of a pretty damning report, also about crunch during the development of *The Last of Us Part 2*. That period, if you recall, resulted in some serious developer burnout and, sadly, a number of staff leaving the studio altogether. It's a bit like seeing a wizard keep using the same fire spell on a dragon that's clearly immune; you'd think they'd try a different approach, wouldn't you?
In 2021, the then co-presidents, Evan Wells and Neil Druckmann, actually addressed the crunch culture. Wells, with a somewhat puzzling take, said, "I have definitely personally worked very hard over the years. I think some of that has helped me get to where I am in my career." Which, while perhaps true for him, doesn't quite address the systemic issues for everyone else. Druckmann, who's still very much at the studio, added that they were "looking at quality of life for preventing burnout" and that "Everybody has a different definition of what crunch means." While I appreciate the sentiment about well-being, 'mandatory' extra hours and office days tends to have a pretty universal definition when you're talking about employee strain, mate. It’s hard to spin that into a positive 'quality of life' improvement, no matter how clever you are with words.
Speaking of clever, *Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet* itself sounds rather intriguing. Announced late last year, it's got a retro-futuristic vibe, features a bounty hunter named Jordan A Mun (voiced by Tati Gabrielle), and Druckmann himself teased that it's going to explore "faith and religion." He also called it the studio's "most ambitious game" it's "ever made." And that, my friends, is usually where the magic starts to cost a bit extra. Ambition is brilliant, truly, but does it *have* to come with such a heavy human toll? Does pushing the boundaries of what's possible in a game mean pushing the boundaries of what's fair for the people making it?
It’s a tale as old as time in the AAA gaming world, really. The pressure to deliver groundbreaking experiences, the tight deadlines from publishers, the quest for perfection – it all too often lands squarely on the shoulders of the developers. And while Naughty Dog and Sony haven't commented on this latest report, their silence, much like a poorly cast invisibility spell, just makes things a bit more obvious, doesn't it?
For us gamers, it’s a tricky situation. We crave these incredible, immersive worlds Naughty Dog is known for crafting. But at what cost? Do we, as players, inadvertently condone these practices by simply enjoying the end product, or should we be pushing for better, more sustainable development models? It's a complex spell to untangle, and there's no easy solution. But one thing's for sure: a healthy, respected dev team is likely to create even more magical experiences in the long run. Here's hoping the industry – and Naughty Dog – finally figure out a less chaotic path to ambition.
**Source:** This article is based on reporting by Victoria Phillips Kennedy for Eurogamer, originally published on December 19, 2025.
Tags: Naughty Dog, Crunch Culture, Game Development, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, AAA Gaming
Original article: Eurogamer