Bulkhead CEO rejects crunch label, stresses commitment to hard work
Bulkhead CEO Joe Brammer has responded to backlash over his earlier comments about crunch, saying he is not in favor of crunch but supports hard work. He clarified that staff worked an additional two hours per week for four weeks while maintaining a four-day workweek, and argued that overtime should be compensated. Brammer also rejected the idea that crunch stems solely from poor management, noting the challenges of creating a new IP with cutting-edge technology.
Bulkhead CEO Joe Brammer has again addressed criticism of his prior crunch comments. He told Knowledge he opposes crunch while endorsing hard work, after earlier saying the studio would not hire applicants who frequently post anti-crunch views.
After backlash, Brammer told Eurogamer that employees added two hours weekly, Monday through Thursday, for four weeks, while keeping a four-day schedule. He said overtime should be compensated. He disputed that crunch only reflects poor management, citing new-IP development and cutting-edge Unreal Engine 5 work. Bulkhead split from Tencent in December 2025; Wardogs sold over three million copies in 18 days.
The dispute may shape how game workers and studios discuss overtime, retention, and public criticism. Developers considering Bulkhead or similar firms could weigh four-day schedules and extra hours against reputational risk. Players may see debate over whether demanding production timelines justify added work. Industry observers could watch whether Brammer's stance influences hiring, unionization talks, or labor expectations, though impact remains uncertain.