Behind the polished trailers and record-breaking launches of many AAA video games lies a harsh reality: crunch culture. This industry-wide practice of mandatory, extended overtime—often unpaid or minimally compensated—has sparked intense debate about ethics, worker rights, and the true cost of creating the games that captivate millions.

Crunch periods often involve 60–100 hour work weeks for months, leading to severe physical and mental health consequences: chronic stress, burnout, strained relationships, and even long-term medical issues. High-profile cases at companies like Rockstar Games (during Red Dead Redemption 2), CD Projekt Red (with Cyberpunk 2077), and Naughty Dog (across multiple titles) have drawn public scrutiny, revealing systemic issues rather than isolated incidents.

Several factors perpetuate crunch:

• Ambiguous Deadlines: Unrealistic project timelines set by executives who prioritize profit over well-being.

• Passion Exploitation: The industry leverages developers’ love for games to normalize overwork, framing it as “dedication.”

• Job Insecurity: Fear of layoffs or blacklisting silences dissent, especially among contract workers.

Despite growing awareness, change has been slow. Some studios, like Insomniac Games and Guerrilla Games, have implemented anti-crunch policies, while unions like IATSE and Game Workers Unite advocate for structural reform. The rise of remote work has also introduced new challenges, blurring boundaries between personal and professional time.

Ethically, crunch contradicts the very creativity games celebrate—exhausted teams cannot innovate. It also risks homogenizing games, as drained developers lack the energy to take artistic risks.

The solution isn’t simple, but it begins with transparency, unionization, and redefining success beyond release dates and profit margins. As players, supporting studios that prioritize their teams—and criticizing those that don’t—can drive change. Games are made by people, and until the industry values those people as much as their products, the art we love will remain built on broken promises and broken people.