Published , by Sam Chandler
Published , by Sam Chandler
After news circulated that the developers at CD Projekt RED would be undergoing mandatory crunch, head of studio Adam Badowski has made an official statement on the matter.
Posted on Twitter on September 30, 2020, Adam Badowski addressed the recent news that the team would be working longer hours and a mandatory sixth day every week in the lead-up to the release of Cyberpunk 2077.
These last 6 weeks are our final sprint on a project we’ve all spent much of our lives on. Something we care for deeply. The majority of the team understands that push, especially in light of the fact that we’ve just sent the game to cert and every day brings us visibly closer to shipping a game we want to be proud of. This is one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make, but everyone is well compensated for every extra hour they put in. And, like in recent years, 10% of the annual profit our company generates in 2020 will be split directly among the team.
In this statement, Badowski describes these last weeks before the release as a “final sprint” on a project the team has spent at least eight years working on. The decision to force crunch on the developers is, as Badowski describes, “one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make”.
In an attempt to ease the bitter reality that is crunch, Badowski highlights the compensation developers receive for their efforts. Not only does the team receive compensation, but 10% of the annual profit of 2020 will be split among the team.
According to a TechPowerup piece from April 2020, CD Projekt RED made $125 million in profits in 2019. If what Adam Badowski says is correct, then the team split $12.5 million between them. A TweakTown article from 2019 states that the team size behind Cyberpunk 2077 totals roughly 400 employees. This would suggest that each employee took home an estimated $30,000 bonus, not including any compensation paid. This is, of course, assuming there are only 400 employees and everyone receives an equal share. The reality could be much different. Take this with a grain of salt considering it's based on some unofficial numbers.
This all leads to a lot of questions and opinions. The team is well-compensated for their time but it’s also mandatory. Badowski says that the majority understands which suggests there are a minority that do not. It’s doubtful this will be the last conversation we all have about crunch, but at least it gives us a better insight into what’s going on during Cyberpunk 2077’s development cycle.