Rockstar Games designer alleges forced crunch to impress executives

Former Rockstar Games designer Kris Roberts has detailed the intense ‘crunch’ culture experienced during the development of titles such as Midnight Club and Red Dead Redemption. In a recent interview, Roberts described how the studio’s reliance on overtime escalated from standard weekday hours to mandatory full days on Saturdays and encouraged work on Sundays.

Roberts alleged that some instances of crunch were ‘artificial’ rather than driven by technical necessity. He claimed that management would mandate weekend work specifically to create an impression of high productivity and full staffing during executive visits. He noted that employees often received short notice on Friday afternoons regarding required weekend shifts, which disrupted personal commitments and contributed to his decision to leave the company.