Supermassive Games, the studio behind the beloved Until Dawn, the Dark Pictures Anthology and the upcoming Little Nightmares III and The Casting of Frank Stone, has announced that it’s undergoing a “reorganisation” in the face of current industry challenges.
In doing so, it’ll be laying off a portion of its staff – a number that Bloomberg claims is around 90 of its total workforce of around 350. The studio has reportedly informed 150 staff that their jobs could be on the line and counted amongst those 90 layoffs, and while no figures were given publicly, Supermassive has issued the following statement on social media:
“It’s no secret that the games industry is currently facing significant challenges, and unfortunately we aren’t immune to this.
“After much deliberation and with deep regret, we are therefore undertaking a reorganisation of Supermassive Games. As a result, we are entering into a period of consultation, which we anticipate will result in the loss of some of our colleagues.
“This is not a decision that’s been taken lightly, with many efforts made to avoid this outcome.
“We are all too aware of how unsettling and difficult this process is going to be for all our employees and will be working closely with all those involved to ensure the process is conducted as respectfully and compassionately as possible.
“We’re committed to focusing our efforts on our core strengths and upcoming titles to ensure the continued sustainability of the company.”
A statement from Supermassive Games. pic.twitter.com/9GkgIrYQvt
— Supermassive Games (@SuperMGames) February 26, 2024
The studio, which is a subsidiary of Denmark-based entertainment company Nordisk Film, says it’s committed to its upcoming titles, so the fates of The Casting of Frank Stone as well as the Bandai Namco-published Little Nightmares III and The Dark Pictures Directive 8020 seem fairly safe at present.
Still, it’s another in an exhaustive (and exhausting) list of gaming companies, big and small, hit by layoffs and closures in recent months and we hope that those affected find their feet.
