Liquid Swords Hit With Layoffs: Studio Adapts to Shifting Market Conditions

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Summary

  • Liquid Swords plans layoffs to adapt to market conditions, mirroring industry-wide job cuts.
  • Christofer Sundberg cites shifting market conditions as the reason for layoffs.
  • Liquid Swords remains committed to developing its first game, focusing on simplicity and quality.

Under the leadership of Christofer Sundberg, founder of Avalanche Studios and the man behind Just Cause, Liquid Swords Studio has disclosed its intention to reduce its workforce. This move is aimed at streamlining operations and adjusting to present market conditions. Established by Sundberg in 2020 following his departure from Avalanche Studios as Chief Creative Officer a year prior, the American development team is making these changes to adapt to current business realities.

Regrettably, it appears that 2025 may not be a year to remember for some game developers due to ongoing job cuts across the industry. In just two months, various companies including Ubisoft and Crytek have announced layoffs, citing unstable market conditions as the primary cause. This has resulted in job losses and left the future of projects such as the upcoming _Crysis_ sequel uncertain. More recently, Liquid Swords seems to be facing similar challenges with a potential restructuring on the horizon.

On February 17, 2025, Liquid Swords announced plans to reduce its workforce due to financial difficulties and industry challenges. Similar to other companies that have undergone layoffs, they expressed regret for this decision but emphasized it was necessary for their long-term survival. Sundberg, the studio’s representative, attributed the move to changing market conditions. Despite these cuts, Liquid Swords remains dedicated to developing its first game, #Game1, while maintaining a focus on simplifying game development and creating exceptional games in accordance with the founder’s original vision.

Liquid Swords to Carry Out Layoffs as Work on Its Debut Game Moves Forward

It’s significant to mention that the reshaping happening at Liquid Swords coincides with their ongoing work on their first project. As stated on their official website, this initial release is an open-world, narrative-focused “hardboiled AAA revenge tale,” being created using Unreal Engine 5. The fact that the co-director of Just Cause has expressed confidence in the project suggests a positive outlook. However, given the recent reduction in staff size, it’s reasonable to anticipate some slowdown in the game’s development pace.

Back in June 2024, Avalanche Studios – where Sundberg used to work – experienced a similar situation, carrying out layoffs. They reduced their workforce by 9% and closed down some of their offices, effectively leaving North America. Apart from the ‘Just Cause’ series, ‘Mad Max’ adaptation, and ‘Rage 2’, this studio is also renowned for developing ‘theHunter’ games.

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2025-02-19 01:07