People Can Fly Hit With Layoffs

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Key Takeaways

  • People Can Fly announced layoffs of over 100 jobs due to “external market pressures.”
  • Other projects, like Project Bifrost and Project Victoria have been affected.
  • Gaming industry trends suggest more layoffs in 2025 amid various company cutbacks.

As a veteran gamer with decades of experience under my belt, I’ve seen the ebb and flow of the gaming industry like the tides of time itself. The recent announcement by People Can Fly about their layoffs of over 100 jobs is a stark reminder that even the most exciting game studios aren’t immune to the cold, hard realities of the market.

People Can Fly studio recently let go of more than 100 employees due to job cuts, a shocking decision made just before the year-end and winter holidays in 2024.

Recently, People Can Fly’s most notable release is probably “Outriders,” which came out in 2021 and garnered mixed reviews but was played by over three million people within a month of its launch. Following their acquisition of Incuvo, People Can Fly and Incuvo debuted “Green Hell VR” in 2022, while “Bulletstorm VR” hit the shelves earlier this year (2024). However, some changes have occurred with the studio’s ongoing projects; specifically, People Can Fly’s Project Dagger was canceled early in the year.

Currently, Sebastian Wojciechowski, CEO of People Can Fly, has released a statement via the company’s official social media platforms. In this statement, he acknowledges that more than 120 positions within the company have been terminated. Additionally, it appears that Project Bifrost is being scaled back and Project Victoria has been put on hold indefinitely. Wojciechowski attributes these decisions to external market pressures, which necessitated these job losses. He further mentioned that the studio will offer resources for those who have lost their jobs. Moreover, he expressed his commitment to ensuring that the remaining staff members feel supported during this transition.

Game Development Continues to See Major Layoffs

2024 has been a tough year for game developers, even those who’ve managed to survive recent layoffs. The wave of job cuts in the gaming industry hasn’t stopped, and it started with People Can Fly trimming more than 30 positions at the beginning of the year. It’s not just small studios like People Can Fly feeling the pinch; even giants like Microsoft (with over 600 jobs cut in its Xbox division) and Bungie (over 200 jobs slashed) have felt the impact. Even peripheral companies such as AMD, Corsair, and the developer of Life Is Strange: Double Exposure have had to make tough decisions and let people go. It’s a challenging time for game developers everywhere, and finding support and stability can feel elusive.

It appears that there’s a high probability of job losses in the gaming sector by 2025, given current trends. A cause for concern is the potential impact of proposed tariffs on gaming, which might increase prices and hurt sales. Nevertheless, even if tariffs don’t affect games or consoles, the industry continues to struggle, despite projected growth in video game revenue up to 2028. The reasons behind this instability include mismanagement, overhiring, poor sales performance, shareholder pressures, and other factors that have forced some game developers out of the sector in search of more secure employment opportunities.

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2024-12-11 02:13