Deck 9, the studio behind Life Is Unusual entries Earlier than the Storm and True Colours, in addition to The Expanse: A Telltale Sequence, laid off 20% of its employees at this time.
The studio introduced the information in an announcement on X/Twitter at this time, writing, “Like many others within the video games business proper now, Deck 9 has been affected by the sport business’s worsening market situations.”
“These persons are wonderful, proficient, and superior builders,” the assertion provides. “They’ve made a huge effect throughout their time at Deck 9 Video games and we didn’t take this resolution evenly. Please rent these individuals in case you can, they’re wonderful.”
— Deck 9 Video games (@DeckNineGames) February 27, 2024
Deck 9 did not specify how many individuals that 20% equates to, however IGN understands that the studio employed roughly between 100 and 130 staffers previous to at this time’s layoffs.
Plenty of the laid-off staffers had been fast to put up concerning the information on social media. Elizabeth Ballou, who served as a Narrative Designer at Deck 9, wrote that every one staff affected by the layoffs could be getting solely two weeks of severance pay, no matter time spent on the firm.
we’re all getting 2 weeks of severance, together with individuals who have labored on the studio for 7+ years.
— elizabeth ballou (@lizbetballou) February 27, 2024
Deck 9 beforehand went via one other spherical of layoffs final Might which, in line with an announcement despatched to GameDeveloper.com, affected 30 individuals. As talked about, the studio is finest recognized for its work on its work on the Life Is Unusual collection, together with 2022’s Remastered Assortment, in addition to The Expanse title it co-developed with Telltale Video games.
As Deck 9’s assertion notes, it is sadly solely the newest in a protracted record of layoffs to hit the video games business over the previous 12 months. Simply earlier at this time, Sony introduced layoffs at PlayStation that may have an effect on 900 employees members, or about 8% of its international workforce. Microsoft, in the meantime, is shedding a stunning 1,900 individuals from its online game workforce, it was revealed earlier this 12 months. An estimated 10,000 sport staff misplaced their jobs in 2023 alone, and this 12 months has continued to be relentless within the business.
Alex Stedman is a Senior Information Editor with IGN, overseeing leisure reporting. When she’s not writing or modifying, yow will discover her studying fantasy novels or enjoying Dungeons & Dragons.
