Industry Veterans Discuss the Root Causes of Crunch and Why the Games Space Needs Real Change
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
Industry veterans from Ubisoft, Naughty Dog, and Remedy are debating the structural and cultural roots of crunch on LinkedIn, arguing that overwork is an institutional failure rather than an inevitable part of creative passion.
A recent discussion among senior developers on LinkedIn is pulling back the curtain on why crunch remains such a persistent issue in game development. Veteran staff and former developers from major studios like Ubisoft, Remedy, and Naughty Dog gathered online to break down the systemic origins of destructive overwork. Instead of falling back on the tired excuse that creative passion naturally leads to burnout, these developers are pointing to structural failures, broken production pipelines, and institutional pressures from publishers as the real culprits behind the crisis.
John Walther, technical director at Novaquark and former senior technical artist at Ubisoft, kicked off the conversation by arguing that while crunch has historically powered some of the biggest blockbuster releases, it is completely unsustainable. He notes that while some companies still rely on heavy overwork as a default shortcut when publisher pressure mounts, the broader industry is slowly recognizing that better pipelines and organized workflows are the only way forward. However, Walther also pushes back on the idea of simply scoping down ambitious projects, suggesting instead that studios need to get smarter about efficiency rather than lowering their creative targets.
Other industry veterans added deeper psychological and institutional layers to the debate. Robert Krekel, former audio director at Naughty Dog, highlighted the role of ego and peer pressure among high-performing teams who try to set impossible industry standards just to prove themselves. Meanwhile, Josh DiCarlo, formerly of Insomniac Games, framed crunch as an entirely avoidable institutional failure at the management level. For players who value the human cost behind our favorite cross-platform releases and live service economies, these candid discussions offer a vital look at the ongoing cultural shifts happening behind the scenes. Original reporting comes via Edwin Evans-Thirlwell at Rock Paper Shotgun.
Tags: Industry News, Game Development, Ubisoft, Naughty Dog, Remedy
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun