This isn't just about crunch, but crunch really brings out the defensiveness. I hope mods can get some messaging together to help prevent the ignorant defenses of these corporations.
This is a broader issue that is coming up every time a beloved company like Naughty Dog or Rockstar get called out because their own employees tell journalists that there are issues with how employees are treated or expected to change their lives at the behest of a broken labor culture. Right now, CDPR is getting appropriate scrutiny for deliberately approaching media to claim they wouldn't have mandatory crunch, and then as their team has swelled after enticing people and their release approaches, they quietly say internally they are switching to mandatory crunch. This isn't a poor company - the owner is worth over a billion dollars and they take in massive capital.
But some seem defensive and offended when people discuss problems. They say 'Ubisoft apologized,' or 'my friend loves working in the Amazon Warehouses,' or 'I pick up overtime at work because that's normal just like most developers do voluntarily.'
Trash responses. All dismissive.
There's really not some movement that thinks you can't buy from studios that crunch or have scandals, as respectable as that decision would be. Many of us know there needs to be top-down regulation of these managers - boycotts may never solve it. And there's really no one who thinks overtime can't ever be allowed or that it doesn't have legitimate causes in how games are budgeted and scheduled. But it is very much necessary to address that these issues exist, and they should be addressed in favor of the workers.
On crunch specifically:
We know for a fact developers have lost time, mental wellbeing, and relationships over crunch culture. Just today we are seeing that CDPR is apologizing to spouses in an email from June - before the mandatory crunch started. And they aren't the first developer that's had to do so, that's not just fair to admit, that's important. This is toxic, full stop. It does not need defense, and the people who have no qualms with their employer do not get a say on whether the ones who have been exploited get any attempts from their employers or the industry to mitigate the problems.
There is no such thing as volunteer crunch. These companies do not give employees control, no matter how nice it sounds for a manager to claim "the employees chose it, not me." They do not let the employees choose delays. If one says no to more work, the manager will ask another person until it happens.
It is hurting people, and no happy devs get say over this repeatedly breaking others. Not for crunch, not for harassment, not for abuse, not for poor labor conditions of any kind.
If your favorite studio has a problem and we know they are causing exasperation and pain to employees, please shut up about some of their colleagues being perfectly well-treated or you loving overtime.
Devs:
This is a broader issue that is coming up every time a beloved company like Naughty Dog or Rockstar get called out because their own employees tell journalists that there are issues with how employees are treated or expected to change their lives at the behest of a broken labor culture. Right now, CDPR is getting appropriate scrutiny for deliberately approaching media to claim they wouldn't have mandatory crunch, and then as their team has swelled after enticing people and their release approaches, they quietly say internally they are switching to mandatory crunch. This isn't a poor company - the owner is worth over a billion dollars and they take in massive capital.
But some seem defensive and offended when people discuss problems. They say 'Ubisoft apologized,' or 'my friend loves working in the Amazon Warehouses,' or 'I pick up overtime at work because that's normal just like most developers do voluntarily.'
Trash responses. All dismissive.
There's really not some movement that thinks you can't buy from studios that crunch or have scandals, as respectable as that decision would be. Many of us know there needs to be top-down regulation of these managers - boycotts may never solve it. And there's really no one who thinks overtime can't ever be allowed or that it doesn't have legitimate causes in how games are budgeted and scheduled. But it is very much necessary to address that these issues exist, and they should be addressed in favor of the workers.
On crunch specifically:
We know for a fact developers have lost time, mental wellbeing, and relationships over crunch culture. Just today we are seeing that CDPR is apologizing to spouses in an email from June - before the mandatory crunch started. And they aren't the first developer that's had to do so, that's not just fair to admit, that's important. This is toxic, full stop. It does not need defense, and the people who have no qualms with their employer do not get a say on whether the ones who have been exploited get any attempts from their employers or the industry to mitigate the problems.
There is no such thing as volunteer crunch. These companies do not give employees control, no matter how nice it sounds for a manager to claim "the employees chose it, not me." They do not let the employees choose delays. If one says no to more work, the manager will ask another person until it happens.
It is hurting people, and no happy devs get say over this repeatedly breaking others. Not for crunch, not for harassment, not for abuse, not for poor labor conditions of any kind.
If your favorite studio has a problem and we know they are causing exasperation and pain to employees, please shut up about some of their colleagues being perfectly well-treated or you loving overtime.
Devs:
