With major layoffs at Unity, Twitch and Discord still fresh in the mind, Gearbox-owned studio Lost Boys Interactive has become the next victim of sweeping industry layoffs with a “sizeable portion” of the 400-strong company being let go.
“It seems a sizable portion of Lost Boys Interactive was laid off today, including myself,” Lost Boys producer Jared Pace wrote in a post on LinkedIn. “Still trying to understand the scope of it all, but sadly this is a song and dance we’re all familiar with.”
Pace told outlet Aftermath that the layoffs affected “all disciplines at all levels,” with a spokesperson for Lost Boys Interactive later confirming the news to Eurogamer in a statement, saying:
“Lost Boys Interactive made the difficult decision to restructure our studio to ensure we can succeed in spite of headwinds facing the industry right now. Unfortunately, this does mean we will separate from some of our team members and we’re working closely with those affected. We know this is a hard time for this talented and experienced group of people and will provide support and assistance through this transition to those leaving.”
Lost Boys Interactive was founded in 2017 and acquired by Gearbox in 2022, and has a history of contribution to games like Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands as well as major franchises like Call of Duty and Diablo. After its acquisition it quickly grew from around 220 staff to nearly double that number amid rapid growth at Gearbox parent company Embracer, the effects of which have been felt deeply in recent months as it sheds staff and studios at a worrying pace.
“It was an absolutely fantastic time full of challenges and beautiful friendships,” art director Spicer McElroy added in a post on LinkedIn. “If you see anyone from Lost Boys looking for work, grab them immediately. They are the most amazing group of artists I’ve ever worked with.”
