Games

Outriders Dev People Can Fly and Life is Strange Studio Deck Nine Hit By More Layoffs

BBG News

As a long-time gamer and follower of the gaming industry, it’s disheartening to witness the ongoing layoffs at studios like People Can Fly and Deck Nine, which have contributed significantly to the games I love. The passion, creativity, and hard work these developers pour into their projects are often overlooked when discussing financial decisions.

The development team behind “Outriders,” specifically People Can Fly from Poland, has recently revealed additional staff reductions, which comes after earlier layoffs at the studio that occurred in January.

In this recent round of reductions, over 120 team members have been affected. The company leader, Sebastian Wojciechowski, explained on Twitter that these changes were necessitated by ongoing market pressures that extended beyond our initial predictions.

He emphasized that the market continues to change, requiring us to adapt accordingly. To do this, we’re increasing our efforts with new work-for-hire projects while also concentrating on creating a standalone game. We have faith in our teams, games, and their prospects, and we are unwavering in our dedication to this path. However, we must modify our strategies to align with our current financial resources.

Due to the recent reorganization, work on two of their upcoming games, specifically Project Victoria and Project Bifrost, has either been reduced significantly or temporarily halted.

The studio behind Life is Strange: Double Exposure, Deck Nine, has unfortunately had to let go of more staff members after previously reducing their workforce by 20% in February. In a statement shared on LinkedIn, CEO Mark Lyons expressed his sadness about having to part ways with some valued team members.

Lyons stated that this choice was exceptionally tough due to the hardships many businesses in our sector are experiencing right now. He expressed heartfelt gratitude towards everyone who put in tireless effort, enthusiasm, and devotion to create groundbreaking entertainment alongside us.

To those departing our studio because of the changes, I want to express my gratitude for the unique skills you’ve shared with us. We take immense pride in the achievements we’ve made together, and we’re dedicated to aiding your transition in whatever capacity we can.

“To the community, we ask for your support and understanding during this difficult time.”

In recent times, a troubling pattern of job losses within the industry has emerged and doesn’t seem to be slowing down. As we speak, estimates suggest that around 14,600 jobs have been cut since the start of 2022 (based on data from videogamelayoffs.com as reported by VGC).

Read More

2024-12-12 15:42

Previous post Annie Kilner wows in a semi-sheer red dress as she shares fun snaps from her girls’ night out at Christmas party amid divorce battle with Kyle Walker
Next post Sir Elton John says he treated lovers ‘like hostages’ at the height of his crippling drug addiction – and knew he’d ‘fallen down the scale of humanity’ after ’embarrassing’ incident in rehab