Cyan Worlds, one of the most enduring indie game developers and creators of the iconic PC classic, has made the tough choice to reduce their workforce by approximately half.
The studio, known for hits like Myst and Riven, shared this news through a post on social media yesterday. “Despite our best efforts to avoid it, Cyan has made the difficult decision to reduce our overall staff size—resulting in the layoff of twelve talented staff members, roughly half the team—effective at the end of March,” the studio communicated through their account here.
Cyan Worlds attributed these layoffs to the general “industry conditions,” mentioning the challenge of balancing the studio’s long-term vision against the “month-to-month realities” of game development in 2025. The team has been open about the struggles faced over the past year, stating, “Throughout the past year, we have been ultra-transparent with the entire Cyan team about the choppy waters we find ourselves in, as well as the dangers ahead. While the news of a layoff was not a surprise to the team, it was (and is) still deeply saddening for all of us.” They also ensured that those affected by this decision would receive severance packages.
“For now, our number one priority is to secure financing for our next project, and to restabilize the studio. We’ve been around for a very long time, and have been through tough times before. Our sincere hope is to continue to be around, and to provide the types of experiences that only Cyan can deliver.”
Cyan Worlds has a rich history that spans nearly four decades, having been established in 1987 and creating the groundbreaking adventure game Myst, which became the most successful PC title of its time. Over the years, Myst has retained its status as a polarizing yet influential classic, even seeing a version released for the Nintendo 3DS.
The studio’s most recent release was a remake of Riven, the sequel to Myst, which launched last summer, but no additional projects have been announced since then. Fans hope the studio can steer clear of the unfortunate fates that have befallen other veteran teams.