Supermassive Games, the British studio known for games like Until Dawn and The Quarry, is cutting numerous positions. According to Bloomberg, the studio notified staffers on Monday that there will be 90 layoffs at the studio, and that 150 positions overall are “at risk.”
The site pointed out how UK labor laws require companies to give advance notice of layoffs. The notification reportedly came today, February 26.
Supermassive apparently has more than 300 staffers, so the cuts run deep. Nordisk Games bought Supermassive in 2022.
In a statement, Supermassive said it is “undertaking a reorganization” that will result in layoffs. “This is not a decision that’s been taken lightly, with many efforts made to avoid this outcome.” Supermassive said it is working with affected staffers to handle the layoffs as “respectfully and compassionately as possible.”
A statement from Supermassive Games. pic.twitter.com/9GkgIrYQvt
— Supermassive Games (@SuperMGames) February 26, 2024
2024 is less than two months old, but in that time, there have been an estimated 6,000+ layoffs in the video game industry. Microsoft cut 1,900 positions at Xbox earlier this year, and Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said the cuts were necessary to improve shareholder value. Twitch, meanwhile, laid off 500 people, while Riot laid off around that number as well.
Supermassive’s next release is Little Nightmares III, which is set for release later this year. The studio is also working on the next entry in its Dark Pictures Anthology series.
A remake of Supermassive’s hit game Until Dawn is in the works, but Supermassive is not making it.