CI Games, the company behind Lords of the Fallen, has confirmed the termination of 30 employees, following the dismissal of 10% of its staff not long ago.
A communication provided to Game Developer shed light on the situation, indicating that these dismissals are a component of the firm's strategy to streamline its operations, a plan unveiled at the start of this year. The company assured that all affected individuals were notified on May 10 and would receive comprehensive support throughout their transition.
According to CI Games, these layoffs are aimed at a very specific group and mark the conclusion of the strategy to reduce its workforce. "This reorganization will impact roughly 30 positions within the production department and is designed to optimize our ability to execute our strategic objectives efficiently," CI Games elaborated.
The firm further mentioned that these layoffs will not influence the operations at Hexworks, the studio behind Lords of the Fallen, nor will they hinder the progress of the upcoming action RPG, Project 3.
Furthermore, Project Survive, a survival genre title in development by CI Games' in-house team, Underdog Studio, is slated for an extended timeline to fully develop its Vertical Slice phase before transitioning into full-scale production.
These developments come on the heels of CI Games reporting its most profitable year, boasting revenues exceeding $60 million for the fiscal period.
Just a few months earlier, the Polish game developer and publisher had reduced its workforce by 10%. At that time, CEO Marek Tyminski expressed that such a decision was crucial for maintaining the firm's operational robustness and resilience.
"CI Games has proceeded with a difficult yet essential move of conducting a focused reduction in our workforce, affecting about 10 percent of our team members," Tyminski commented.
Layoffs and the closure of game development studios have been a persistent trend within the industry over the last year. In a related event, Microsoft announced this week its decision to close four Bethesda Softworks studios, including Tango Gameworks, the creators of Hi-Fi Rush, and Arkane Austin, known for their work on Dishonored, Prey, and Redfall.