CI Games, the publisher behind Lords of the Fallen, has confirmed that 30 employees have been laid off, following a previous round of workforce reductions earlier this year.
In a statement provided to Game Developer, the company stated that these layoffs are part of an ongoing business optimization plan. The impacted employees were notified on May 10 and will be given support throughout the transition process.
This latest round of job cuts is described as the “final, targeted round of redundancies” by CI Games.
“Approximately 30 positions across production are being restructured to ensure maximum efficiency in achieving our strategic goals moving forward,” CI Games explained.
Despite these layoffs, the development of Lords of the Fallen studio Hexworks and the upcoming action RPG Project 3 will remain unaffected, according to the publisher.
Additionally, CI Games’ in-house team, Underdog Studio, will have an extended period to complete the Vertical Slice stage for Project Survive before moving into full production.
While CI Games reported a record-breaking year in terms of revenue, generating over $60 million in the last fiscal year, these layoffs are viewed as necessary to maintain overall business strength and stability, as stated by CEO Marek Tyminski.
It is important to note that CI Games had previously laid off 10% of its workforce a few months ago as part of the company’s efforts to navigate market challenges and maintain financial stability.
The games industry has seen various layoffs and studio closures in recent times, with Microsoft’s announcement of closing four Bethesda Softworks studios, including Tango Gameworks and Arkane Austin, as the most recent example.