the ’Zine

Crunch Time

July 7, 2008 by John Veneron

Filed under: Behind the Scenes / 0 comments

Not to sound like a broken record, but I should emphasize once again how super busy everyone over here is right now. The gaming industry is infamous for its nearly universal "crunch" periods. However, this is a bit misconceived. While it's true that most studios build in a "crunch" period to their development cycles, it's much the same in other industries: film, business, etc. Crunch periods are not uncommon in any industry that has to pump out a product. So why is it that the game industry crunch became so infamous?

Some conjecture on my part: first, we're still a relatively new industry. Many of the first video game companies were independent start-ups. Places like Infocom, Bioware, and Harmonix were started by innovative, creative people. Notice that "business-oriented" (I should note, however, that Alex and Eran are some of the keenest businessmen I've ever met...) was not listed as an attribute. Many of the folks who started up and continue to start up gaming companies have a vision, something to say, and a product to build, but not necessarily the business-savvy to back it up - read up a little bit on the history of the guys over at Penny Arcade to see what I mean. The longevity of the companies themselves hinges on the ability to transform and adopt business and marketing strategies. Without this adaptability, gaming companies can't survive for long.

What has been interesting for me - I've been alive almost as long as the industry - is watching the various companies start, develop, merge, and even sometimes falter. The industry itself is learning how to do business, and I think that, ultimately, strong gaming companies run strong businesses. Video game companies that make it big are in an interesting position, too. The businesses looking to acquire them aren't terribly interested in changing things about the way those companies make video games. Alternately, the companies acquired aren't interested in the finer business details. They just want to do what they've always done - make great games.

Everyone grows - the companies that make games, and the games themselves. Ten years ago, a game that was a labor of love among a core group of dedicated folks is now a game that's part of a well-oiled machine. Some of my favorite games of all time were some of the buggiest and least polished. Industry standards have changed with the demands of the industry. What was once a niche hobby is now a mainstream activity. Production value has gone up, so it has become important to make efficient every step of the process.

How does crunch fit in? How is it different now than it was? I would argue that, on the whole, video game companies have matured. Crunch is a calculated step - it's no longer a desperate necessity. Video game developers are, oddly enough (I only say that because most of us grew up playing video games and avoiding work), some of the most dedicated workers of any industry. But not even they want to pull in 90+ hour weeks for the rest of their lives.

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