workforce Archives

AppWizard

May 23, 2026

Last Flag studio lays off half its employees as it puts ‘the future of the game in the hands of our players’

The CTF shooter game Last Flag was co-founded by Mac and Dan Reynolds, members of the band Imagine Dragons. In 2025, Tyler Wilde from PC Gamer reviewed the game positively. Despite its gameplay, Last Flag struggled to build a player base, leading Night Street Games to announce a free weekend initiative in April, which was later retracted due to low player numbers. The studio's CEO, Mac Reynolds, confirmed a workforce reduction, with about a dozen employees leaving, leaving only 13 team members. Night Street Games plans to support laid-off employees and will continue to release new content for Last Flag, including characters, maps, and custom lobbies. The remaining developers are looking forward to new projects.

AppWizard

May 16, 2026

MercurySteam announces ‘difficult and painful’ job cuts as its God of War-inspired hack ‘n’ slash arrives on Steam

MercurySteam has announced a workforce adjustment following the launch of its game, Blades of Fire, on Steam. The game has faced commercial challenges, with its sales performance described as "underperformed," leading to an anticipated write-off of €8 million by its parent company, Digital Bros. Blades of Fire initially launched as an Epic Store exclusive but struggled against major titles and received mixed reviews, scoring 74. The recent Steam release includes a significant 2.0 update with new features such as a New Game Plus mode, a new difficulty level called Titanium, an arena system for boss battles, expanded death animations, and full Steam Deck support.

AppWizard

May 14, 2026

Amazon reportedly had a studio pivot away from a game ‘everyone was excited by’ to make something with more AI stuffed in it, then laid them all off anyway

A recent report from Eurogamer highlights the fate of Project Trident at Amazon Games, where the entire team was dismissed after being directed to shift their creative focus towards artificial intelligence integration. This incident reflects a broader trend in the games industry, as Amazon had previously laid off 14,000 employees by late 2025, indicating job insecurity in the field.

AppWizard

May 7, 2026

Take-Two chief is ‘deeply disappointed’ that we still don’t have a new BioShock game

The BioShock franchise has not released a new installment since BioShock Infinite in 2013. In 2018, Hangar 13 began preliminary work on a new title, but it did not progress into a full project. Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two Interactive, expressed disappointment over the delays but was not surprised. The franchise is currently under the management of Cloud Chamber, which has appointed a new director and is reworking fundamental elements of the series. Following restructuring, over 80 employees, about one-third of Cloud Chamber's workforce, were laid off. The development of the next BioShock installment is still in its early stages.

AppWizard

May 1, 2026

Massive Valve shipment rumor may hint at the Steam Machine’s launch window, but I have my doubts

A significant shipment of "Game Consoles" has arrived at Valve's warehouses, sparking rumors of an imminent Steam Machine launch. Brad Lynch reported that Valve is receiving a large quantity of these consoles, but it is unclear whether they are Steam Machines or restocks of the Steam Deck. The previous rumor about the Steam Controller had verifiable sources, while this latest rumor lacks such confirmation. The timing of the current shipment does not align with the schedule of the Steam Controller leak, raising skepticism about its authenticity. Valve has a self-imposed early 2026 deadline for the Steam Machine launch, with only eight weeks remaining until July.

AppWizard

May 1, 2026

This week’s Epic Games freebie blends Factorio’s automation with high fantasy exploration

Odsparks: An Automation Adventure is currently available for free on the Epic Games Store until May 7, offering a blend of automation and whimsical fantasy exploration. Players interact with charming creatures called Sparks, automate their workforce, and explore procedurally generated biomes while completing quests to unlock new buildings and technologies. The game has a lifetime score of 82% on Steam and 4.6 on Epic, and includes downloadable content like the Coaster Rush expansion. Players can also receive bonus items by visiting the store.

AppWizard

April 30, 2026

Meta loses 20 million users across WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and Messenger: Here’s what the company is blaming for this drop

Meta has reported a loss of approximately 20 million daily active users across its applications this quarter, attributing the decline to ongoing internet disruptions in Iran and restrictions on WhatsApp in Russia. The company plans to spend between billion and billion this year to support AI initiatives, which is an increase from earlier projections. Meta is also facing legal challenges regarding youth safety, warning of potential material losses due to ongoing lawsuits. To manage its finances while investing in AI, Meta is reducing its workforce by laying off about 8,000 employees and canceling plans to fill 6,000 open roles.

AppWizard

April 28, 2026

Pearl Abyss paid its employees a 5 million won bonus after Crimson Desert reached 5 million sales: ‘Our journey does not end here’

Crimson Desert achieved five million sales as of April 15. The Prime Minister of South Korea celebrated the game's success, calling it a "new chapter in K-content." Pearl Abyss rewarded its employees with a bonus of 5 million won (approximately ,392 or £2,513). The total bonus payout could amount to around 6.6 million won (or .5 million/£3.3 million) based on a workforce of 1,323 employees. The latest game update includes quality-of-life improvements, addressing community concerns such as storage for looted items and fast travel mechanics.

Winsage

April 24, 2026

Microsoft tackles quality control issues. Just kidding, it’s encouraging experienced workers to leave

Microsoft is implementing a voluntary buyout scheme for a segment of its U.S. workforce, targeting employees at the senior director level and below who have a combined age and tenure of 70 years or more. Approximately 7 percent of the workforce, nearly 9,000 individuals, could be eligible for this program, which aims to allow voluntary exits instead of mandatory layoffs. The company has previously laid off 9,000 employees in July 2025, and concerns have arisen about losing experienced talent that is crucial for improving the quality of Windows. Microsoft has invested heavily in artificial intelligence, but its stock price has declined over 20 percent in the past six months. The potential loss of valuable employees due to buyouts could hinder the company's ability to address ongoing quality challenges.

AppWizard

April 22, 2026

Google executive responsible for AI has a solution for the game industry’s problems, and you’re not going to believe this but it’s AI

Jack Buser, the global director for games at Google Cloud, is focusing on using AI and cloud solutions to tackle challenges in the gaming industry. He noted a rebound in revenue growth but highlighted issues such as declining profits, project cancellations, and layoffs, with only Roblox and the Chinese market thriving. Buser advocates for AI as a potential solution, despite concerns about "rightsizing" strategies that may prioritize profits over employee welfare. His previous role at Stadia ended with mixed results, raising doubts about the feasibility of AI-driven game development. The industry is still awaiting a groundbreaking AI-generated game. Buser emphasizes the need for clearer discussions about AI and suggests that embracing it could lead to easier revenue generation, similar to trends in reality television.