Team17 Facing Layoffs as Company Prepares to Cut Staff

British game developer Team17 could be in for a significant reduction in its workforce. Reports suggest that the company may lose around one-third of its employees in an upcoming round of layoffs. Known for its popular Worms series, Team17’s most recent release was the 1980s-themed horror-adventure game Killer Frequency.

Up to 91 Employees at Risk

According to Eurogamer, Team17 is planning to lay off up to 91 employees, which constitutes approximately one-third of its staff. Like many other gaming companies, Team17 is considering this move in order to cut operating costs and adapt to the current uncertain economic climate.

The initial focus of the cuts was on Team17’s quality assurance (QA) teams, with plans to outsource their work to external companies. However, the layoffs have now expanded to encompass other departments, including marketing, IT, and HR. While the upcoming release of Dredge: The Pale Reach DLC, published by Team17 and scheduled for November, remains unaffected, other ongoing projects may be impacted.

Eurogamer has received messages from multiple developers expressing concerns about potential disruptions to their work on games set to be published by Team17. These developers claim they were not informed about the layoffs and only discovered the situation when team members they had been collaborating with began searching for new jobs on LinkedIn. While some staff members point to the competitive release calendar as the reason behind the layoffs, Team17 has yet to make an official statement regarding the cuts.

Industry-Wide Layoffs

Team17’s staff reductions come at a time when downsizing has become common in the gaming industry. Last week, Telltale Games laid off a majority of its employees. Other major companies such as Epic Games, Ubisoft, and Blizzard have also experienced workforce reductions in recent months. These layoffs are primarily attributed to the uncertain economic environment and the industry’s quest for profitability. However, they could potentially have long-lasting negative consequences for the gaming industry as a whole.