Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart has received positive reviews from critics, getting an average score of 89/100 on Metacritic. And some Insomniac employees are now sharing their experience of working on the game and making it without crunch.
On June 8, Insomniac game designer Grant Parker reacted to Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart positive reviews. More importantly, he also said that he didn’t crunch once during the development process.
“40h weeks the whole time. It is possible to work on a great game without suffering,” Parker wrote on Twitter.
I’d appreciate ppl sharing this positive. Because it’s important.#RatchetPS5 is at 89 avg score & I can’t speak for anyone on the team but myself, but I didn’t crunch once. 40h weeks the whole time.
It is possible to work on a great game w/o suffering.https://t.co/8GOzukf2sh
— Grant Parker (@GrantPDesign) June 8, 2021
The studio’s animator Jeff Weidner quoted Parker’s message and also said that he was never compelled to crunch. “No one asked me to say anything about my work habits or time spent making the game,” he wrote. “It’s important for people to know — we don’t need to crunch like crazy to make great games!”
This is very true. I worked hard but never was compelled to crunch. If I put in xtra hours, it was my choice because I had something I was really xcited about & wanted it to look STELLAR. But I was actively encouraged by my leads and mgmt to keep my life in balance. And I did! https://t.co/MUHDi5o1ay
— Jeff Weidner (@BucketAnimator) June 8, 2021
People on Twitter also praised Insomniac for managing to develop a game without making employees crunch. “How games should be made,” Avalanche Studios game director Paul Rustchynsky wrote.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, an upcoming action platform game, will officially come out exclusively on PlayStation 5 on June 11.