When The Last of Us Part 2's release date was postponed, fans of the popular survival horror series were equally disheartened and hopeful that the delay would allow the staff to work at a reasonable pace to finish the game. However, recent reports have revealed that Naughty Dog has continued to crunch as The Last of Us Part 2 enters its final phases of development.

These events go to show that crunch culture has remained a prevalent issue in the gaming industry. And as with every action, the consequences of the studio's decisions are beginning to appear.

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While crunching does not appear to have had an impact on Naughty Dog to fans, industry insiders are beginning to discuss the toll crunch has taken. Former Naughty Dog animator Jonathan Cooper, who worked on both TLOU Part 2 and Uncharted 4 for Naughty Dog, recently took to Twitter to share his own experiences and observations on Naughty Dog's crunch culture.

In his thread, Cooper talked about how his ex-employer had attempted to coerce him into signing a non-disclosure agreement about its production practices. He went on to say that while he never had to crunch during his time at Naughty Dog, he saw gameplay animators overexert themselves to the point that they required "weeks of recovery," and hospitalization in one extreme case.

Due to the crunch culture and the lack of job stability, experienced animators have stayed clear of Naughty Dog. The developer had to hire film animators and newcomers that lacked the necessary expertise. This staffing issue caused development issues that ultimately contributed to the "grind." While Cooper states that the game's quality was not impacted by crunch, he did state that Naughty Dog's reliance on Sony's funding for the delays and on industry outsiders ensured the developer would never be the industry's best.

The thread was met with mixed responses from fans. While some criticized Naughty Dog and Sony for neglecting their worker's needs, others questioned the veracity of Cooper's story or stated that crunch was a "necessary sacrifice" for a quality game. However, Cooper's testimony matches previous reports about the "out-of'-control" crunch on The Last of Us Part 2.

While TLOU fans can still look forward to the sequel's release, both players and developers need to seriously consider the cost that development has on the well-being of the industry's workers. Without the talented individuals behind every title, customers would not have some of the classic games available now. Fans should be more understanding of developers' needs, and in turn, the gaming industry's senior management needs to curb its expectations and nurture its talent for the long-term health of its employees and its profits.

The Last of Us 2 is expected to release on May 29, 2020, for PS4.

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