And when he talks about pressure, he means it in the strongest sense. Long stretches of work, little time off and a brutal push to meet the October launch date took their toll. Staff turnover was high as people struggled with the relentless schedule and grueling hours. “There were constant internal conflicts due to the stress of always being at work. A couple of people had mental breakdowns. They snapped. It was difficult to work in that kind of environment, but I knew that Bully was going to be worth it in the end, so I stuck it out,” Wood recalls.
“When we were pushing to release the game, we had our lunch and dinner breaks effectively taken away. They catered food into the office so people wouldn’t leave. It started to feel like a prison for a lot of us,” he adds.
“It was brutal at times, especially toward the end. We were working seven days a week, often averaging 18-hour days,” Wood explains. “It burned people out and created a lot of turnover, but I stayed because I believed the project would become something special.”
Thankfully, his instincts were right. By transplanting the GTA-style open-world formula into the shoes of a mischievous schoolboy at a boarding school, Bully carved out a distinctive identity with its sharp humour and adolescent perspective.
Over time, Bully has grown a genuine cult following, appreciated for its offbeat take on Rockstar’s familiar tropes. Wood’s mixed memories haven’t diminished his affection for the game’s legacy.
“I love the game, and I love that nearly 20 years on, people still treasure it,” he concludes. And for anyone at Rockstar reading this: a 20th-anniversary remaster would be warmly welcomed.
Source: gamesradar.com
