Short bursts of overtime is not crunch. Crunch is by definition long term.
Anyway, I recall that you can actually raise short term productivity for up to four weeks or so, but expect lower output following weeks. The productivity falls if crunch runs longer then six weeks. Not sure about in between. That was just one study, so take it or leave it.
Last note: if you have 60-80 hour work weeks before every major release, then there is something wrong with your planning or process. In any case, it does not sounds like the release will be much tested before shipment.
Crunch is longer than usual work with a looming deadline. Crunch doesn't have to be long term. Crunch can be working for 7 hrs seeing you are going to make your goal and busting ass for 3 more hours. The slope should match up with the expected outcome, mx+b or else it is futile and not crunch. Crunch should be "doable". What the author was describing is a death-march. The goal isn't to arrive at a location but to kill as many people as possible in the journey. Ref, trail of tears.
I was almost with you until you got to the last paragraph which is both judgmental and horribly, horribly wrong.
Not only are our releases incredibly well tested (we have millions of players - there is no "untested") but we keep things pretty relaxed during normal development, and pre-release "crunches" result in improved team cohesion and morale. Releases feel like huge wins, and we always celebrate.
Please don't presume to know anything about anyone else without any evidence or first-hand knowledge of a situation. It's rather unbecoming.
Anyway, I recall that you can actually raise short term productivity for up to four weeks or so, but expect lower output following weeks. The productivity falls if crunch runs longer then six weeks. Not sure about in between. That was just one study, so take it or leave it.
Last note: if you have 60-80 hour work weeks before every major release, then there is something wrong with your planning or process. In any case, it does not sounds like the release will be much tested before shipment.