Insomniac Devs Say Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Was Made without Crunch

Industry has been under scrutiny.

 

 

Crunch has become a common point of controversy in the games industry, with titles like The Last of Us: Part II and Cyberpunk 2077 coming under scrutiny for the intense environments in which they’re created. Many developers making high-profile games work long and difficult hours, which can result in health complications.

 

However, despite releasing Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales just six months ago, a couple of Insomniac Games employees have noted that – outside of the occasional late night – they didn’t crunch on Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, and enjoyed relatively steady and consistent work hours. It’s worth noting that these are personal anecdotes, and may not necessarily be representative of every single person on the team:

 

I'd appreciate ppl sharing this positive. Because it's important.#RatchetPS5 is at 89 avg score & I can't speak for anyone on the team but myself, but I didn't crunch once. 40h weeks the whole time.

It is possible to work on a great game w/o suffering.https://t.co/8GOzukf2sh

— Grant Parker (@GrantPDesign) June 8, 2021

 

I didn't crunch once, entire production. A couple late nights here and there finishing something up, but COMPLETELY CRUNCH FREE. It is possible. Team wellness lets the creativity flow free. https://t.co/Bf9C7BQLRn

— Lindsay Thompson (@Binzimation) June 8, 2021

 

This does, at least, go to show that great games can be made without colossal personal sacrifice. Obviously, outstanding project management helps – and, given a chunk of this title was made during a pandemic, that’s no small feat – but hopefully more developers can emulate Insomniac Games’ working environment.

 

 

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