The Callisto Protocol is one of 2022’s most anticipated games but in order to get the game ready for its 2 December release date, the team at Striking Distance Studios have now entered an intense crunch mode. While this is nothing new in the gaming industry, crunch is never a good thing for the people behind a game.
Striking Distance Studios CEO Glen Schofield even publically confirmed the current crunch at the studio saying that some team members are now working 6-7 days a week and 12-15 hours a day in order to get the game ready for launch.
READ MORE State of Decay 3 Using Unreal Engine 5 With Gears Devs Helping
Sadly, Schofield was being an asshole in the tweet boasting about the ongoing crunch at the studio saying that the employees are doing it because they love it. The tweet, which has been deleted reads:
“I only talk about the game during an event. We r working 6-7 days a week, nobody’s forcing us. Exhaustion, tired, Covid but we’re working. Bugs, glitches, perf fixes. 1 last pass thru audio. 12-15 hr days.This is gaming. Hard work. Lunch, dinner working. U do it cause ya luv it”
The fact that Schofield posted this tweet is questionable in itself. He is the CEO of the studio so the intense crunch likely doesn’t affect him whatsoever. The tweet also comes across as he is proud that his staff are giving up their lives and health to make a game which will benefit his pockets the most. It is quite sad actually.
This, from a studio head, is crunch culture defined. Of course nobody is “forced” to work insane hours. But imagine the reduced bonuses and lack of promotion opportunities if you don’t? “You do it because you love it.” Weaponized passion. This is why people burn out of gaming pic.twitter.com/seyE7tkPuf
— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) September 3, 2022
The gaming industry is notoriously known for its crunch around development. Especially more so leading up to the release of a game. Crunch is a soul-destroying aspect of the industry that sees teams working up to 105 hours a week in order to meet deadlines imposed by the management team. Schofield is the problem here and his tweet sounds as if he is proud of the work culture he is enforcing in order to get a game released.
Instead of delaying the game in order to alleviate the crunch, The Callisto Protocol developers are being forced to work unreasonable hours in order to meet its approaching release date. Catch up on the latest gameplay for The Callisto Protocol below.
