Crunch

A period of intense, often mandatory overtime worked by game developers — typically in the months before a game's release date. Crunch culture has been widely reported at studios including Rockstar Games (Red Dead Redemption 2), CD Projekt Red (Cyberpunk 2077), and Naughty Dog (The Last of Us). Workers often report 80-100 hour weeks with unpaid overtime, leading to burnout and health issues. The games industry has faced increasing scrutiny and union organising efforts in response to crunch culture.