A Diablo 4 lead developer says crunch in gaming doesn’t always happen for the same reason, and the difference between indie studios and AAA companies is huge. He explained that smaller teams often crunch because they’re fighting to survive financially. In his words, “the company is on the verge of collapsing,” meaning delays or failed launches could put the entire studio at risk. He said the situation is different at major AAA publishers. Large companies usually have bigger budgets, more staff, and enough resources to avoid forcing developers into extreme overtime. But despite that, “you might still have a culture of crunch” because some studios treat long hours as a normal part of development. Crunch has been one of the biggest issues in the gaming industry for years, especially after reports from studios behind major releases revealed stories of burnout Via gamesradar