Is crunch necessary for video game development? Here’s what’s happening at Naughty Dog according to a developer

When it comes to video game development (especially for particularly complex productions), talk often turns to "crunch", a term used to describe a particularly intense phase of development that forces developers to significantly increase their working hours.

Crunch is a problem for many development studios, but according to some, it may be necessary in certain cases. The confirmation comes from the words of Benson Russell, a former senior game designer at Naughty Dog.

Something Naughty Dog does that most other studios don't do is they treat internal deadlines like external deadlines. Former Naughty Dog dev Benson Russell thinks that the crunch on Intergalactic is probably a result of this (and Sony tapping them on the shoulder as well.)
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April 12, 2026

A lot of work to meet deadlines

Due to a system of internal deadlines (set directly by the development studio) and external ones, at Naughty Dog, workers often operate at very high paces, with a work approach that is taken for granted. To achieve certain goals, according to the former game designer, it is necessary to work at a sustained pace with crunch phases that can last a very long time. Moreover, Naughty Dog is said to be willing to let go of developers who do not intend to keep up with the imposed pace, assisting them in finding new jobs with recommendation letters for other studios.

The topic is certainly very relevant and will continue to be so in the future, especially considering the rising costs of developing larger productions that can require very long timelines. There doesn't seem to be a real solution on the horizon. To create certain types of products in the video game industry requires a lot of work and large teams. The budget is never unlimited, and long development times can lead to a substantial increase in expenses for production houses. With crunch, in some cases, teams try to reduce times while respecting budgets and deadlines.