In a year that has been especially tough for game development studios the world over, with closures and layoffs becoming an almost-daily news item, nothing hurts more than seeing those dire circumstances befall our own local talent here in Australia.
We’ve already seen it manifest with the fine folks at Samurai Punk having shut their doors last month, and now another iconic Aussie studio, League of Geeks, has made the difficult announcement that it’s made over 50% of its employees redundant in the face of a number of challenges. Devastatingly, the changes have affected the entire Jumplight Odyssey team, meaning work on that game, which is currently in early access, has been paused indefinitely.
We’ve got some unfortunate news to share, folks. A thread: pic.twitter.com/hDjlrkKtdV
— League of Geeks (@LeagueofGeeks) December 5, 2023
A more comprehensive breakdown of what’s caused this decision can be found over on the Jumplight Odyssey Steam page, but the public statement from LoG reads:
“For almost 15 years, LoG has been home to some of the most talented and brilliant folks in the industry. This week, we’ve had to say goodbye to many of them.
“Rapidly rising operation costs, a weakening AUD, poor Early Access sales, and the unprecedented withdrawal of funding opportunities across the industry, placed us in a position where we could no longer afford to cover development costs. As a result, we’ve had to make the impossible decision to pause development indefinitely on Jumplight Odyssey.
“More than 50% of our studio has been impacted by redundancies, including the entire Jumplight Odyssey team, meaning plans we had to get the game to full release (including release plans for PS5 & Xbox) have been put on hold indefinitely.
“This decision will not impact the launch or quality of Solium Infernum, as we continue to work towards a February 14 release. Nor will it affect the existing support we offer Armello and its players.
“You can find more information, including an FAQ and a link to the staff who were affected and their roles within this thread. We wholeheartedly recommend each and every single LoG team member we have had to say goodbye to, so if you’re in a position to signal boost or hire them, please do so.
We are devastated to be in this position, and we have done everything in our power to avoid it. We are so very sorry.”
The studio has published a list of affected staff in an effort to help secure new employment opportunities, so if you’re reading this and in a position to hire some of the nation’s brightest and most talented, you can find them below:
First, most importantly – the staff affected. We truly believe our crew are among the most talented in the biz. You can find a full list of affected staff here – if you are in a position to hire them, do it. You won’t regret it. Let our loss be your gain. https://t.co/8AkgOldRSS
— League of Geeks (@LeagueofGeeks) December 5, 2023
