Crunch Culture
Noun · Hacker Culture
Definitions
A work environment where sustained overtime and deadline pressure are normalized, expected, or glorified, especially near launches. The phrase is common in game development and startups, where crunch is often framed as commitment despite its long-term human and technical costs.
In plain English: A workplace habit of treating long hours and constant overtime as normal.
Example: "The studio says the overtime is temporary, but crunch culture has clearly become the default."