The Reality of Crunch in Game Development: A Closer Look at Larian Studios

The gaming industry has long been plagued by the issue of crunch, where developers are required to work excessive hours to meet deadlines. Recently, the director of Baldur’s Gate 3 and CEO of Larian Studios, Swen Vincke, opened up about the crunch experienced by the studio during the development of the game.

Vincke admitted that crunch did take place at Larian Studios while working on Baldur’s Gate 3. He mentioned that it would be dishonest to say otherwise. However, he emphasized that the level of crunch was lower compared to their previous projects like Divinity. Vincke also highlighted that the developers were compensated for their overtime work.

During a Q&A session at the Digital Dragons developer conference, Vincke discussed how the studio managed the issue of crunch. He stated that unexpected events sometimes led to crunch, but they tried to minimize its impact. The studio made sure that any overtime work was paid and that the developers did not have to work late nights or weekends extensively.

To reduce the need for extreme crunch, Larian Studios utilized its global network of studios. By spreading the workload across different locations, developers could work on the game without having to stay late at the office. This approach helped in ensuring that the team did not have to work weekends frequently and that the work hours were manageable.

Vincke mentioned that while some overtime was necessary to finish a complex project like Baldur’s Gate 3, they tried to strike a balance and not excessively push the developers. He acknowledged that there was room for improvement but stated that Larian did not overly rely on crunch to meet deadlines.

Despite the challenges faced during the development of Baldur’s Gate 3, Vincke expressed hope for the future projects of Larian Studios. He emphasized the importance of finding ways to eliminate crunch entirely from the development process. With a focus on better management and resource allocation, the studio aims to create a more sustainable work environment for its developers.

While Larian Studios did experience crunch during the development of Baldur’s Gate 3, they made efforts to minimize its impact and compensate the team for their hard work. The studio’s approach to managing crunch and their commitment to improving work conditions for developers bode well for the future of the company and the industry as a whole.