Roman GłogulskiCI Games, the publisher behind games like Lords of the Fallen and Sniper: Ghost Warrior, is laying off 10% of its workforce, with game developers being the most affected by this decision. The company stated that it took these steps in order to maintain the strength and stability of its business. While it did not directly confirm which game developers were impacted, sources suggest that Hexworks, the developer of Lords of the Fallen, was one of those affected by the layoffs.
In order to maintain the strength and stability of its business, CI Games has made the difficult but necessary decision to carry out targeted layoffs. We would like to thank each of them for the contribution they made during their time with our company. Further business optimizations are being implemented into processes and organizational structures.
Lords of the Fallen debuted in October 2023 with great critical and commercial success. It sold one million copies within 10 days and received an 8/10 rating in an IGN review. “Lords of the Fallen is an incredible Soulslike game with a fantastic dual reality concept, even with some performance issues and weak bosses,” we wrote.
The layoffs at CI Games are part of a wave of significant job losses that the video game industry experienced in 2023 and continues to experience in 2024. Thousands of developers have lost their jobs. These layoffs are among the worst in the industry’s history and have affected studios of various sizes. Media Molecule, the creators of Dreams, CD Projekt Red, the creators of Cyberpunk 2077, Frontier Developments, the creators of F1 Manager, and Ubisoft, the creators of Assassin’s Creed, are just some of the companies affected by the layoffs. Bungie, the producer of Destiny 2, also suffered layoffs, causing a “depressed” atmosphere in the studio, as reported by IGN.
Major companies like Embracer, which owns Gearbox Software (the creators of the Borderlands series) and Crystal Dynamics (the creators of Tomb Raider), as well as Epic Games (the publisher of Fortnite) and Dungeons & Dragons owner Hasbro, have also announced mass layoffs. Embracer laid off 5% of its workforce, resulting in 904 job losses, Epic laid off 16% (830 employees), and Hasbro laid off nearly 20%, equating to almost 1,100 employees.
Entire studios have also been closed, such as Embracer’s Campfire Cabal and Volition Games, the creators of the Saints Row series. Further layoffs and studio closures are anticipated in 2024.
FAQ Section Based on Key Topics and Information Presented in the Article:
Question: Why did CI Games carry out layoffs?
Answer: CI Games made the difficult decision to lay off 10% of its workforce in order to maintain the strength and stability of its business. While not directly confirmed, sources suggest that Hexworks, the developer of Lords of the Fallen, was one of those affected.
Question: What are the effects of the layoffs at CI Games?
Answer: The layoffs at CI Games are part of a significant loss of jobs that the video game industry has experienced and continues to experience. Thousands of developers have lost their positions, and these layoffs are among the worst in the industry’s history.
Question: Which other game companies have experienced layoffs?
Answer: Other companies such as Media Molecule, CD Projekt Red, Frontier Developments, Ubisoft, Bungie, Embracer, Epic Games, and Hasbro have also announced mass layoffs, resulting in the loss of jobs for thousands of employees. Some studios, like Campfire Cabal and Volition Games, have also been closed.
Question: Are further layoffs and studio closures anticipated in 2024?
Answer: Yes, it is anticipated that there may be further layoffs and studio closures in the game industry in 2024.
Key Term Definitions Used in the Article:
– Hexworks: A game developer who was one of those affected by the layoffs at CI Games.
– Lords of the Fallen: A game published by CI Games that debuted with both commercial and critical success.
– Soulslike: A term referring to games that are styled after the popular game “Dark Souls.”
– IGN: Short for Internet Games Network, a popular online portal that focuses on game reviews.
– CD Projekt Red: A Polish game studio known for titles such as “The Witcher” series and “Cyberpunk 2077.”
– Ubisoft: An international game studio known for titles such as the “Assassin’s Creed” series and “Far Cry.”
– Embracer: A major holding company that owns multiple game studios, including Gearbox Software.
– Epic Games: A game publisher best known for the popular game “Fortnite.”
– Hasbro: A company involved in the production and distribution of board games, owning the Dungeons & Dragons brand.
– Campfire Cabal: A game studio owned by Embracer.
– Volition Games: A game studio known for the “Saints Row” series.
