Bulkhead CEO Joe Brammer has drawn criticism from industry peers for his studio's policy on mandatory crunch. In a recent episode of The Game Business Show, Brammer explained that the studio actively screens potential employees' social media activity, indicating that those who frequently post against crunch may not be hired.
"We check people's socials, and if you're constantly tweeting anti-crunch messaging: 'This should never ever be a thing', we know that and go, 'Look, you're not going to be happy here, so we're not going to go with you,'" Brammer stated. He further elaborated that this policy stems from a desire to cultivate a team that is deeply invested in their work. "This is a place you come to work hard. If you care about the work you’re making and the result of what you make here, you'll feel really valued. If you don't, you will feel slave-driven."
Brammer acknowledged that this approach is controversial, especially given the industry's ongoing efforts to address the detrimental effects of prolonged crunch periods, including burnout and the human cost associated with prioritizing work over personal life. He admitted that Wardogs experienced crunch during its development, stating, "For the last three months, Wardogs has been more important than a lot of [our team’s] family lives. But now, Bulkhead and I have to acknowledge that it needs to go the other way. Everyone’s pushing us to get [the console version] out earlier, and we’ve said, ‘No, that’s not how it’s going to work. We can’t push them more.'"
To compensate for periods of intense work, Brammer indicated that the company offers bonuses and incentives to some staff members. "If we're going to be a company that says 'We do crunch,' then you have to get something for it," he said.
However, Brammer's stance has met with pushback from other game industry professionals. Game developer bplane commented on Bluesky, citing studies that suggest crunch negatively impacts profits. Producer and consultant Nazih Fares suggested that Brammer's approach indicates a need for better production management. Michael Howe of Studio Gobo criticized the notion that crunch is simply 'hard work,' asserting that it is typically a consequence of poor planning and management.
During Wardogs' launch, Brammer shared studio tours on X that featured employees working overnight on air mattresses to address server issues, highlighting the demanding work environment.