In the high-stakes world of AAA game development, the pursuit of perfection often collides with the well-being of the teams tasked with creating it. A new report has surfaced alleging that Naughty Dog, the acclaimed studio behind The Last of Us and Uncharted, has once again resorted to mandatory overtime, or "crunch," this time for an internal milestone on its upcoming sci-fi title, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. This development raises significant questions about the sustainability of development practices in an industry that has publicly vowed to change, especially for a game not expected to launch until 2027.
The Report on Mandated Overtime and Office Return
According to a report by Jason Schreier of Bloomberg, Naughty Dog began enforcing mandatory overtime for its developers in late October 2025. The directive required staff to work an additional eight hours per week, with an explicit instruction not to exceed 60 total hours weekly. This push was aimed at completing an internal demo of Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet for a milestone review with Sony Interactive Entertainment, the studio's parent company. Concurrently, the studio reportedly suspended its hybrid work policy, calling employees back to the office for a full five-day workweek instead of the previously permitted three days. The report, citing anonymous employees not authorized to speak publicly, states that this intensive period concluded for most staff the week of December 15, 2025, with plans to revert to the previous schedule in January 2026.
Reported Crunch Details:
- Start Date: Late October 2025
- Mandate: Minimum 8 extra hours per week
- Cap: Instructed not to exceed 60 hours per week
- Office Policy: Required 5-day in-office week (up from 3 days)
- Purpose: To complete an internal demo for a Sony milestone review
- Reported End: Week of December 15, 2025, for most staff
Context: A History of Crunch and Promises of Change
This is not an isolated incident for Naughty Dog. The studio has long been associated with a culture of crunch, a reputation solidified by a detailed 2020 Kotaku report that described brutal, sustained overtime during the development of The Last of Us Part II. In early 2024, a studio lead acknowledged this reputation and stated, "it's something we're not going to do anymore." The current allegations, occurring years before Intergalactic's planned mid-2027 release, directly challenge that commitment. Industry observers note that while a final "polishing" phase often involves increased effort, mandating overtime this early in a multi-year project suggests underlying scheduling pressures. The report indicates Naughty Dog has missed several internal deadlines on Intergalactic, prompting this crunch period to get back on track.
Game & Studio Context:
- Game: Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet
- Studio: Naughty Dog (Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Revealed: The Game Awards 2024
- Target Release Window: Mid-2027
- Studio History: Publicly acknowledged "crunch" reputation in 2024, pledging to change the practice.
Employee Concerns and Industry-Wide Implications
The return to mandated overtime has reportedly caused concern among Naughty Dog employees. Their primary worry is that if crunch is deemed necessary for an internal demo over two years before launch, the pressure will only intensify as the project approaches its final release date. This situation mirrors challenges faced by other studios, such as CD Projekt Red with Cyberpunk 2077, which famously pledged to avoid "mandatory" crunch only to later require extended hours. The incident highlights the persistent gap between public commitments to better labor practices and the practical pressures of managing massive, complex game projects with fixed budgets and publisher expectations.
Looking Ahead: Schedule and Studio Response
With the demo crunch period reportedly over, the studio is expected to operate under its standard schedule following the United States holiday break. A new development schedule for the period after January 2026 is to be released upon the team's return. The long runway until the game's 2027 release date now hangs under a shadow of doubt. The key question for both the development team and industry watchers is whether this was a one-off correction for a missed milestone or the first sign of a return to the studio's old patterns. The response from studio leadership, particularly from creative head Neil Druckmann, will be closely scrutinized as development continues.