In fact, according to Polygon sources (which include Epic's full-time staff, outside contractors, QA, and customer service) at least 100 employees work an average of 70 hours a week, while others even reach 100 hours.
“Everything has to be done immediately”, explains a source, “We don't have the right to take time for ourselves. If something breaks - a weapon, for example - then we can't just deactivate it and fix it with the next patch. It needs to be done right away, and in the meantime we're also working on next week's patch. It's brutal. "
As the popularity of battle royale increased, more was being asked of the staff. “We've gone from having a month to prepare, to only having one day at times. Very often it was compulsory to stay at work until everything was complete, without receiving any notice. Marketing made a promise, so we were told we had to do it. "
Furthermore, it appears that it was virtually impossible to avoid working extra hours. Some sources claim that not dedicating extra hours to work damaged their image as an employee, even going so far as to be fired, although theoretically the overtime was voluntary. Contractors are also subject to the same rules, too:
“Management only wants people who are available. A senior would say, 'Get more bodies'. That's what they call contractors: 'bodies'. " In the event that the contractors decline overtime, the consequence would be the non-renewal of the contract. “Everyone was forced to work to exhaustion. Also the managers of the offices and facilities. The only people who can afford not to work harder are those who tell others to work overtime. "
Another source said: “It is killing people. Something has to change. I don't see how we can continue like this for another year. It was fine at first, because Fortnite was a big hit and it was enjoyable. We were solving problems that were new to Epic: how to run a great, globally successful game in the form of an online service. But now the work is endless. "
Also Read: Activision Blizzard: A deeper look at layoffs
Unfortunately, this is not the first time we have heard of such situations. Even in the case of Anthem, BioWare and EA, the team had to make many sacrifices to complete the game, also impacting the physical and mental health of the studio.
