Naughty Dog crunch

[the-pi-guy]

Pretty awful:

When I left Naughty Dog late last year they threatened to withhold my final paycheck until I signed additional paperwork stating I wouldn't share their production practices. They finally relented when I assured them that was most likely illegal...

— Jonathan Cooper (@GameAnim) March 12, 2020

For the demo shown last September, the gameplay animators crunched more than I've ever seen and required weeks of recovery afterwards. One good friend of mine was hospitalised at that time due to overwork. He still had over half a year to go. There have been others since.

— Jonathan Cooper (@GameAnim) March 12, 2020

[the-pi-guy]

The article that started everything:

Jason Schreier: As Naughty Dog Crunches On The Last Of Us II, Developers Wonder How Much Longer This Approach Can Last | ResetEra

New piece from Jason

It's no surprise that The Last of Us II has led to months of crunch at Naughty Dog. But with 70% of the designers who worked on Uncharted 4 now gone, many are asking: How much longer can this culture last? And is the sacrifice really worth it?  Click to expand... Click to shrink... 

As one Naughty Dog developer recently told me: "This game is really good, but at a huge cost to the people."  Click to expand... Click to shrink... 

Many who have worked at Naughty Dog over the years describe it as a duality--as a place that can be simultaneously the best and the worst workplace in the world. Working at Naughty Dog means designing beloved, critically acclaimed games alongside artists and engineers who are considered some of the greatest in their fields. But for many of those same people, it also means working upwards of 12-hour days and even weekends when the studio is in crunch mode, sacrificing their health, relationships, and personal lives at the altar of the game.

 "They do try to take care of you, providing food, encouragement to go take breaks," said one former developer. "But for the most part, the implication is: 'Get the job done at all costs.'"  Click to expand... Click to shrink... 

This account of Naughty Dog's culture is based on interviews with 13 current and former developers, all of whom spoke anonymously because they were not given permission to speak to press, as well as reporting I did for my 2017 book, Blood, Sweat, and Pixels, which detailed the turbulent production of Uncharted 4. As is often the case, we could not share many of those developers' personal stories of sacrifice without risking their identities, and as usual, we erred on the side of caution in order to keep sources protected.

 A representative for Sony and Naughty Dog turned down interview requests with studio management and declined to provide comment.  Click to expand... Click to shrink... 

More here

       As Naughty Dog Crunches On The Last Of Us II, Developers Wonder How Much Longer This Approach Can Last   One Friday night last month, some artists at the video game studio Naughty Dog were working on their latest game when they heard a crash. A large metal pipe had fallen from above them and landed right next to their desks. If it had dropped a few feet closer, the consequences might have been...    kotaku.com       

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[the-pi-guy]

I hear that Santa Monica place has some great animators too! ??????

Can't wait to get my hands on the game! Best to you and the team.

— Cory Bingelog???? (@corybarlog) March 13, 2020

Disappointed in Neil and Cory's response here.

[nnodley]

Yeah its pretty terrible.  Its also widely known that the people who work there know what they are getting into and that ND crunch is above other studios.

No excuse for the disgusting practices of crunch though.  

Not sure i'd read into their tweets that much.   They aren't gonna be oh yeah we are totally horrible and we treat staff like shame.  And i'm sure Neil and Cory are not horrible people.  Never been rumors that they've been horrible people as far as i'm aware.  They are just very passionate about the games and places they work. Nothing wrong with that.  

But the more we hear about studios the more it just solidifies I don't want anything to do with the AAA industry.

[Legend]

I hear that Santa Monica place has some great animators too! ??????

Can't wait to get my hands on the game! Best to you and the team.

— Cory Bingelog???? (@corybarlog) March 13, 2020

Disappointed in Neil and Cory's response here.

The animations in the demo were amazing. If they weren't faked and the whole game plays like that, it really will be something to be proud of.

Doesn't make the crunch ok but maybe the tweet is more from that direction.

[the-pi-guy]

The animations in the demo were amazing. If they weren't faked and the whole game plays like that, it really will be something to be proud of.

Doesn't make the crunch ok but maybe the tweet is more from that direction.

It just comes across awfully because they are responding to the Jonathan Cooper tweets, even though the crux of his tweet was complaining about how management was pushing out experienced workers.

[kitler53]

i know i should care about the people more...

...but i'm playing TLoU right now and all i can think is,.. totally worth it.

[the-pi-guy]

i know i should care about the people more...

...but i'm playing TLoU right now and all i can think is,.. totally worth it.

Ah so you like it?

I'm definitely going to get part 2.  

[kitler53]

Ah so you like it?

I'm definitely going to get part 2.  

yep, even as a last gen port being played 7 years late the gameplay feels more advanced than many of the other games i've played lately.  the graphics don't quite hold up but even there they aren't bad.  mostly i notice the "lack of stuff" as in the ambiance related things like vegetation look fine but there is a lot less of it than your typical ps4 game.  

i'd guess i'm approximately half way though based on the amount of upgrades i've been able to purchase.   don't spoil it for me but for your reference i recently was ambushed in my car, then took out a bunch of human bad guys and the last thing i did was fall down an elevator shaft.   

i still probably won't buy TLoU2 at launch.   i still really want to play spiderman and valkaria chronicles 4 and gravity rush 2 and the uncharted 4 DLC and the 2nd and 3rd tomb raider and ni no kuni 2.   as excited as i am about a sequel,.. i don't really mind waiting a year and getting it for $20 instead of $60.    ...but i will definitely buy it.