According to a report on Bloomberg, Naughty Dog is requiring that staff work mandatory overtime to complete a demo for the upcoming Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.
Staff have reportedly been pushed by the Sony-owned studio for the past seven weeks to put in long hours to prepare for a review of the demo. Beginning in late October, staff were requested to work a minimum of eight extra hours per week and logging their overtime in an internal spreadsheet, according to sources speaking to Bloomberg.
Employees have been asked not to work more than 60 hours a week, and were told to return to the office five days a week during the overtime period, having previously been required to come in three times. This has resulted in some staff having to find alternative care arrangements for children and pets.
The report adds that a number of people at Naughty Dog put in long hours to complete the debut trailer for Intergalactic, which was unveiled during The Game Awards 2024. According to the report, the highly anticipated title is scheduled to launch in mid-2027.
The mandated overtime ended this week for the majority of staff, after the demo had been finalised. Bosses also reportedly informed staff that the studio will return to its standard requirement of three days in the office per week through the end of January 2026.
[Source – Bloomberg]