job cuts Archives

AppWizard

November 14, 2025

Crystal Dynamics makes third round of layoffs this year

Developer Crystal Dynamics has reduced its workforce by "under 30" employees across various departments. This decision is part of a series of job cuts made throughout the year, with previous reductions occurring in August and March. The company is reorganizing its studios and teams to optimize the development of its flagship title, Tomb Raider, and to prepare for future projects. Crystal Dynamics expressed gratitude to the affected employees for their contributions and committed to providing support during the transition.

AppWizard

November 14, 2025

Sharkmob is making layoffs

Sharkmob, based in Malmo and owned by Tencent, is implementing job cuts as part of a strategic reorganization due to a challenging environment for game developers. The layoffs are described as "difficult but necessary" to focus on the continued development of Exoborne, a sci-fi extraction shooter that has not yet announced a release date. The studio recently conducted a public playtest for Exoborne to gather insights for its development. Additionally, Sharkmob closed its London studio earlier this year to streamline operations and concentrate resources on core projects.

AppWizard

September 5, 2025

2K makes job cuts at Firaxis

2K Games has confirmed a staff reduction at Firaxis Games, the studio behind the Civilization series, although the exact number of affected employees has not been disclosed. Reports indicate that dozens of employees may be involved. 2K has not filed a WARN notice in Maryland, where Firaxis is located. A representative stated that the layoffs are part of a restructuring to optimize development processes. The layoffs follow LinkedIn posts from former employees in various roles, and come after the launch of Civilization 7, which has experienced slow sales according to Take-Two Interactive's CEO.

AppWizard

August 28, 2025

Crystal Dynamics makes more layoffs

Crystal Dynamics announced another round of job cuts due to "evolving business conditions," with the exact number of affected employees undisclosed and no WARN notice filed. This is the second instance of workforce reductions this year, following 17 layoffs in March and ten in September 2023. The studio expressed gratitude to those impacted and committed to supporting them during the transition. They assured that the future of the Tomb Raider franchise remains secure despite these changes.

AppWizard

July 31, 2025

Atari to buy Thunderful, company undergoes another round of restructuring

Atari has entered an agreement to acquire the European firm Thunderful Group through a directed share issue valued at SEK 50 million, gaining control over 82 percent of Thunderful's outstanding shares, with Thunderful's board approving the transaction. CEO Wade Rosen highlighted the acquisition as a milestone for Atari's expansion in Europe, while Thunderful has initiated a restructuring operation aimed at achieving cost savings of SEK 6 to 8 million for the latter half of the 2025 financial year and SEK 40 to 45 million during 2026, which will involve job cuts. CEO Martin Walfisz will step down as part of this transition, marking the third round of restructuring for Thunderful in recent years.

AppWizard

July 22, 2025

Supermassive Games makes layoffs

British game developer Supermassive is undergoing a restructuring that will result in job cuts affecting approximately 36 employees. The studio is providing support to those impacted by the layoffs. Additionally, the release of their sci-fi horror title, Directive 8020, has been delayed to the first half of 2026. The development of Little Nightmares 3 will not be affected by this restructuring.

AppWizard

July 17, 2025

Codev giant Virtuos making layoffs

Virtuos is reducing its workforce by approximately seven percent, equating to around 300 positions. The layoffs will primarily impact its Asian operations, with 200 employees affected, 70 roles in Europe, and fewer than ten positions in France. The company aims to realign its global capabilities to enhance high-value co-development services. Virtuos will provide separation pay, job placement assistance, and opportunities for affected employees within its network. This decision reflects broader job cuts in the gaming industry, as seen with Microsoft's recent layoffs.

AppWizard

July 2, 2025

Xbox hit in yet another wave of Microsoft layoffs

Microsoft is implementing further layoffs, particularly in its Xbox division, affecting employees at King and ZeniMax, with a total reduction of over 9,000 positions, representing a four percent cut in its workforce. This is the fourth round of layoffs in Microsoft's gaming sector in 18 months. Phil Spencer, head of Xbox, stated that these cuts are necessary to position gaming for future success and emphasized the importance of prioritizing strong opportunities while acknowledging the impact on affected employees.

AppWizard

June 26, 2025

Report: Xbox poised to make yet more layoffs

Microsoft is expected to announce significant job cuts in its Xbox division next week, as part of ongoing restructuring efforts. This follows earlier reports of potential layoffs affecting thousands of positions in Microsoft's sales business. The upcoming layoffs at Xbox would mark the fourth round of job reductions in 18 months, totaling approximately 15,000 employees let go since January 2023. Phil Spencer, head of Microsoft's gaming division, confirmed the redundancy of 650 staff members in September 2024, highlighting the emotional impact of these changes and the importance of support within the team.

AppWizard

June 5, 2025

Jagex says job cuts are “unrelated” to cancelled project

Jagex has stated that recent layoffs are not related to the cancellation of Project Zanaris, which aimed to create community servers for Old School RuneScape. The layoffs primarily impact non-development and non-player-facing roles, with some developers also leaving the company. Jagex is restructuring its operations to reduce complexity and increase agility, focusing on enhancing teams that contribute directly to player experiences. The company is committed to supporting affected employees during this transition.