### Naughty Dog's Crunch Culture Returns Amidst Development of Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet Naughty Dog, a prominent video game developer under Sony, is reportedly enforcing mandatory overtime for its employees as they work on the demo for their upcoming title, *Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet*. This situation has raised significant concerns regarding the company's work culture, particularly the re-emergence of "crunch" practices, which have been criticized in the gaming industry for their impact on employee well-being. Reports indicate that developers have been required to work at least eight extra hours per week since October 2025 to meet deadlines imposed by Sony, with the aim of ensuring the game is back on track for a mid-2027 release [https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/report-naughty-dog-employees-hit-with-mandatory-overtime-on-intergalactic, https://gamebastion.com/n/naughty-dog-forces-crunch-to-get-ps5/502347]. ### Breakdown of the Current Situation at Naughty Dog 1. **Mandatory Overtime Implementation**: - Employees are reportedly required to work additional hours to complete the demo for *Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet* [https://www.dexerto.com/gaming/naughty-dog-reportedly-orders-mandatory-overtime-to-get-intergalactic-back-on-track-3296208]. 2. **Concerns Over Crunch Culture**: - The enforcement of overtime has reignited discussions about the crunch culture within the gaming industry, which often leads to burnout and dissatisfaction among developers [https://gamerbraves.com/naughty-dog-orders-mandatory-overtime-for-intergalactic-demo]. 3. **Project Timeline and Deadlines**: - The game has reportedly missed several deadlines, prompting the need for increased work hours to align with Sony's expectations for a mid-2027 release [https://www.gamepressure.com/newsroom/end-of-remote-work-and-60-hours-a-week-demo-of-naughty-dogs-new-g/z08b5a]. ### Supporting Evidence and Data - **Work Hours**: Developers are working a minimum of **eight extra hours per week** since October 2025 [https://en.softonic.com/articles/naughty-dog-is-back-at-it-they-are-already-crunching-for-their-next-game]. - **Project Status**: The game is aiming for a **mid-2027 release**, with reports indicating that the team is under pressure to meet this timeline [https://www.gamespot.com/articles/naughty-dogs-intergalactic-aiming-for-mid-2027-release-amid-new-crunch-allegations-report/1100-6537091]. - **Employee Sentiment**: Concerns from fans and industry observers about the implications of crunch on game quality and developer health have been voiced widely [https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2025/12/19/intergalactic-the-heretic-prophet-fans-concerned-report-december-2025]. ### Conclusion: The Implications of Crunch at Naughty Dog In summary, Naughty Dog's decision to enforce mandatory overtime for the development of *Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet* has reignited concerns about the company's work culture and the broader implications of crunch in the gaming industry. 1. **Mandatory overtime has been implemented** to meet project deadlines, raising questions about employee welfare. 2. **Concerns over crunch culture** are resurfacing, highlighting the potential negative impact on developers. 3. **The project is under pressure** to meet a mid-2027 release, which may further exacerbate the situation. As the gaming community watches closely, the outcome of this situation could have lasting effects on Naughty Dog's reputation and the industry's approach to work-life balance [https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/crunch-returns-to-naughty-dog-for-xmas-as-intergalactic-devs-work-overtime-on-sony-claims-report].