CD Projekt Red has established itself as one of the most acclaimed video game developers. On the back of the critically acclaimed The Witcher 3, many were looking forward to the company’s next project. Cyberpunk 2077 is set to continue RPG elements that the developer is known for, in an expansive open-world but it will be in a dystopian sci-fi infused future. Unfortunately, it seems that the scope of this latest game has led to some practices that many are concerned about.
Crunching is a practice that is relatively common in the video game industry, and it is where managers encourage staff to work overtime to complete the game. While overtime may not be an issue for some, often this pressure comes alongside the fear of job losses and a toxic work environment because the staff has to focus on work for an unrealistic time span. CD Projekt Red had previously stood against the crunch culture but has resorted to the practice, and news reports indicate that this initial stand was not reflective of the culture inside the company.
Contrary to the statement by studio head Adam Badowski, and a report from Liana Ruppert from The Game Informer Show, it seems that no conversations with developers were held and they were forced into extended hours. Industry insider, Jason Schreier who writes Bloomberg revealed that a couple of accounts have stated that no conversation took place between management and staff and they found out they had extra hours via email.
This news is disappointing but it seems to be worse than the report provided by Schreier. A Reddit thread about the report has led to developers giving insight into crunch culture in CD Projekt Red.
The personal account notes that many staff has been working 16 hour days for over a year and that rumors about good compensation in the Polish workplace are not what they seem. Naturally, a 16-hour working day means that many staff will work more than the 48 hours a week maximum under European law. With this in mind, it seems that CD Projekt Red has not only falsified a stance about crunch culture but it may have also broken work safety laws.
While Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the most anticipated games of the year, few consumers will have wanted working laws to be broken and staff to be encouraged to give up so much time for an extended period. It will be interesting to see if the company now addresses these issues or whether it will maintain the statements of Adam Badowski.
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