Life Is Strange Developer Don’t Nod Facing Layoffs

As a seasoned gamer with years of gaming experiences under my belt, I can’t help but feel a pang of sadness hearing about Don’t Nod’s layoffs. Life Is Strange was one of those games that resonated deeply with me, and it’s disheartening to see the studio behind such a masterpiece struggling.

It’s been announced by Don’t Nod, creators of Life Is Strange and the upcoming Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, that they are considering a major restructuring which may impact as many as 69 positions within the studio. This news was shared on Wednesday.

In light of worsening performance and efforts previously made, Don’t Nod finds itself necessitated to explore a restructuring plan to maintain its edge in a rapidly challenging and cutthroat market environment. This statement was made during their recent financial report.

The proposed project might influence the workforce at Don’t Nod’s French office, potentially affecting as many as 69 positions. A preliminary discussion has been held today with the employee representative groups, and we plan to initiate an informative-consultation process with them about this project in the near future.

The studio mentioned that the restructuring is designed to enhance the influence of their editorial team in line with market demands, regain organizational flexibility, optimize technology usage for increased efficiency, and ensure financial stability for the company.

The management is determined to engage in open discussions with employee representatives, with the goal of finding mutual understandings about additional support programs. This could potentially include a voluntary separation package for employees, if the proposed project moves forward, according to Note.

Even with a decline in income and less personnel, the company assures us that the progress on Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, along with two other games, is set to carry on undeterred.

For the initial half of 2024, Don’t Nod recorded a drop of 11% in their revenue. They also disclosed a €24 million ($26.1 million) loss related to the underperformance of Jusant and Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden. An additional €7.6 million ($8.3 million) was set aside due to the halt of games P12 and P13, a move intended to concentrate resources and boost the chances of success for their current top-tier projects.

It remains unclear which parts of Don’t Nod might be affected by the upcoming layoffs, as well as the exact timeline for these changes. We’ll provide more details once we have further information.

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