Report: The creators of Metroid Dread and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow have been working in crunch mode for almost a year

Current and former employees of the Spanish studio MercurySteam have complained to the publication 3DJuegos about an unhealthy atmosphere in the company. They reported tougher working conditions, overtime, and layoffs.

• According to the 3DJuegos sources, issues in the studio began in January 2025. That’s when MercurySteam implemented the Distribución Irregular de la Jornada (DIJ) policy, temporarily increasing the workday by an hour. As compensation, employees were promised additional rest periods later.
• In May, studio management deemed DIJ insufficient. Employees were urged to work 10-hour days instead of the legal eight hours. Top managers leveraged emotional pressure on developers, citing an industry crisis and MercurySteam’s dire situation.
• Formally, crunch time beyond DIJ was voluntary, but the non-mandatory nature was downplayed. Additionally, MercurySteam management insisted that the 10-hour workday was “the new norm.”
• The extended workday decision is believed to have been prompted by the failure of Blades of Fire, MercurySteam’s latest game released in late spring.
• Later, the studio temporarily canceled vacations and prohibited remote work, and a mass layoff in August affected about two dozen people.
• In September, MercurySteam restricted employee communication to curb rising panic and dissatisfaction. Non-work-related chats were deleted, and partitions were installed in the office. Additionally, management began conducting selective inspections.
• Currently, employees in some departments at MercurySteam continue to crunch. It is expected that they will work overtime until the new game development is completed. When that will happen, no one knows for sure.

Official representatives of MercurySteam have not commented on the 3DJuegos material.