Bulkhead CEO Joe Brammer says the WARDOGS developer expects employees to accept periods of crunch and avoids hiring people who publicly oppose the practice. At the same time, he says the studio is resisting pressure to bring the game to consoles sooner, keeping that release planned for 2028 rather than asking its team to push harder.
If you’re waiting to play WARDOGS on console, that is the immediate takeaway: Brammer is standing by the 2028 window. His comments also explain how Bulkhead approaches workloads, hiring and rewards following the game’s launch.
Crunch is part of Bulkhead’s hiring expectations
Brammer describes the studio’s approach as alternating between several months of intense work and quieter periods when employees can ease off. He says staff should be able to step back without fearing dismissal.
By his account, WARDOGS had taken priority over much of the team’s family life during the preceding three months. He argues that Bulkhead now needs to give employees room to recover, which is why the studio has rejected requests to accelerate the console version.
That does not mean Bulkhead intends to eliminate crunch. Brammer says the company makes clear that it will happen at some point. He also says people who actively criticize crunch on social media often do not get hired, because he does not consider them a good fit for the studio’s working culture.
Bonuses and shares are not available to everyone
Brammer says Bulkhead offers substantial bonuses and company shares to selected employees as compensation for the demands it places on them. Not every employee qualifies for those incentives.
WARDOGS sold 2 million copies in less than a week, but that sales figure does not establish how much individual developers have received. Brammer’s comments do not provide specific payout amounts or full eligibility criteria.
He also acknowledges that crunch has become harder as the team gets older and employees start families. Bulkhead previously offered 10 weeks of paternity leave, but Brammer says it replaced that arrangement with two weeks of leave and half-day schedules to ease the transition back to work. He attributes the change to difficulties employees’ partners experienced when the longer leave ended.
What this means if you play WARDOGS
The concrete release information is that the console version remains planned for 2028. Brammer’s explanation ties that timing to limiting further pressure on the team after its recent workload, rather than committing to an earlier launch.
If you want to check the game’s store listing, you can visit WARDOGS on Steam. If you’re already playing, we also have a squad guide covering play with friends and a separate guide to WARDOGS settings.
FAQ
Bulkhead CEO Joe Brammer says the console release is planned for 2028. He says the studio has rejected pressure to release it earlier because it does not want to push the team harder.
Yes. Brammer says the studio makes that expectation clear and avoids hiring people who actively oppose crunch on social media. He describes intense work periods followed by opportunities for employees to ease off.
No. Brammer says selected employees receive bonuses and company shares, but not everyone is eligible. Specific payout amounts and full eligibility rules were not provided in his comments.
WARDOGS sold 2 million copies in less than a week. That figure alone does not show how much employees received through Bulkhead’s incentive arrangements.