Key information
Naughty Dog has faced significant criticism regarding its workplace culture, specifically the use of crunch. Former visual effects artist Matt Radford, who worked at the studio between 2014 and 2017, recently addressed these reports during an interview with Kiwi Talkz, confirming that the accounts of abusive labor practices are accurate.
Radford noted that while some employees worked up to 100 hours per week, this intensity was often driven by the staff's own ambition. He described the environment as a group of highly motivated individuals who utilized peer pressure to encourage one another to produce their best possible work.
Reflecting on his time at the studio, Radford suggested that significant artistic output often emerged from personal sacrifice and suffering. He argued that the situation is complex and cannot be reduced simply to a corporation demanding grueling hours from its workforce.
Despite these perspectives, the existence of extreme hours remains a point of contention. Former senior designer Benson Russell previously stated that crunch was accepted as a necessary cost for developing high-level games, though it remains unclear how these hours were compensated or if employees could refuse them without facing consequences.
