Naughty Dog, the creator of The Last of Us and Uncharted series, is one of the most prestigious studios in the gaming world, but has frequently been criticized in the past for its excessive overtime pressure on employees (crunch). Studio management had promised to change this culture in 2024. However, a new report published by Bloomberg reveals that the studio has reverted to its old habits for its new science fiction game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.

Seven Weeks of Mandatory Overtime for Sony Demo

According to the report, Naughty Dog management has been subjecting its staff to mandatory overtime since October. For a critical demo that needs to be submitted to parent company Sony in December, employees were asked to work at least eight extra hours per week. The previously established hybrid work schedule of three days a week has been abandoned, forcing employees to be in the office five days a week.

The biggest factor behind this decision is said to be the Intergalactic team’s repeated failure to meet deadlines. Although weekly working hours are limited to 60, this contradicts the studio’s promise to eliminate crunching.

The most striking and controversial detail of the report was a souvenir distributed to the staff. The metal coins given as gifts to the production team bore the following phrase, believed to be a quote from the game: “To reach our divine end, generations must be endured.” Giving a coin with the phrase “enduring suffering” on it during a period of intense stress and fatigue for employees was interpreted as a symbol of the disconnect between management and workers.

While it’s stated that the mandatory overtime period has ended, employees are worried that this is only temporary relief. The game is targeted for release in mid-2027, and there are fears that the pressure will increase again as the release date approaches. As a reminder, studio leader Neil Druckmann stated in 2024 that they aimed to end the crunch culture.

So, do you think it’s acceptable for giant studios like Naughty Dog to push their employees this hard to produce quality games? Would it bother you if there was such a story in the background of the game you’re playing? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!