Crunch is a phenomenon present in most production-based work environments, but extremely prevalent in the gaming industry. Frequently, workers are expected to log hours far past the norm of a 40-hour workweek — sometimes to the detriment of their physical well-being. Many developers end up working upwards of 80 or even 100 hours weeks, with that number growing exponentially the closer a game gets to its launch date.
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This week, Hugo Martin made an appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience Podcast, where among discussions of DOOM Eternal’s inspirations and the unavoidable disruptions of the Coronavirus, the topic of crunch culture came up. Martin insisted that rather than crunching, his work is his lifestyle, and that when he gets home, he throws himself right into researching pop culture so he can better inform future id Software games.
This opinion that crunch can be a healthy and moderated lifestyle is not unique to Martin, as id Software founder and current Oculus CTO John Carmack shared a similar sentiment in his own appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience back in August of 2019. In his appearance, Carmack argued in favor of developers being allowed to become obsessed with their work and blur the line between life and work, insisting that placing a legal limit on working hours would inhibit this ability.
Many game developers speak out in contradiction to Carmack and Martin’s point. Many have taken to social media to share stories of being forced to work days upwards of 14 hours and the toll this takes on their mental and physical health. For every developer out there who wants to marry their work to their daily life, there is another trying to draw the line between what they do in the office and how they spend their free time. With major gaming events like E3 canceled due to health concerns, it may be time for an overdue reexamination of industry working practices to ensure better conditions for developers.
Still, some developers — and their fans — fight to maintain their ability to work 24/7 so titles can be released without delays, a choice that continues to widen the rift this controversy has formed. No matter which way it goes, the industry is reaching a tipping point and the gaming community can expect to see changes in one way or another.
Doom Eternal will release on March 20 for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One and Nintendo Switch at a later date.
MORE: Doom Eternal: Everything You Need to Know Before Launch
Source: The Joe Rogan Experience
