Devolver Digital releases SNES game Fork Parker’s Crunch Out

Indie label Devolver Digital and developer Megacat Studios have partnered for a good cause and launched classic arcade-style game Fork Parker’s Crunch Out… On SNES.

Priced at $49.99 (£36), the title is named after Devolver’s famous imaginary CFO (which we talked about with Devolver’s co-founders in December last year), with the publisher donating all profits from sales to charity Take This, which provides information, education and services within the games industry to tackle mental health issues.

In Crunch Out, you play as Fork Parker as he tries to motivate a team of developers. “Meaningless elements like ‘artistic integrity’ and ‘engaging gameplay’ are out the window as efficiency and deadlines now dictate the studio’s every move – welcome to crunch time,” Megacat described on its website.

You can buy Fork Parker’s Crunch Out on Megacat’s website. The authentic cartridge (which comes with a classic game manual) is limited to 1,000 copies.

Kate Edwards, board member at Take This, commented: "As demonstrated in our 2016 white paper ‘Crunch Hurts’, crunch is an unsustainable practice that exploits game creators’ passion at the expense of their physical and mental wellness. We applaud and appreciate Devolver Digital’s and Megacat Studios’ creative approach to exposing the reality of crunch while generously supporting our mission."

Fork Parker himself added: “When I was first approached about a charity game I assumed this was a clever tax shelter scam and was all for it. After being explained several times, at length, that this was to actually help the good people of Take This I reluctantly agreed.”