People Can Fly Announces Layoffs Impacting 120 Employees

As a long-time fan of People Can Fly and their incredible work in the gaming industry, it is heartbreaking to see such a talented team facing layoffs due to external market pressures. I can only imagine the emotions running high at the studio right now – the mix of sadness, uncertainty, and resilience that comes with such a momentous change.

It’s been revealed that People Can Fly, a studio, is planning job cuts as the year 2024 comes to an end. In a statement shared on social media, CEO Sebastian Wojciechowski disclosed that these alterations across the company will affect around 120 employees.

Today, we’ve chosen a challenging path by temporarily pausing Project Victoria, shrinking the team for Project Bifrost, and reorganizing certain departments at People Can Fly, as Wojciechowski explained.

He said that the moves come due to “external market pressures” that were beyond what they had expected. Moving forward, they are focusing on the development of a single game as opposed to multiple projects, and are “redoubling our efforts with new work-for-hire engagements”.

2024 saw approximately 15,000 confirmed job losses in the video game industry due to layoffs at People Can Fly. If we factor in unverified figures, the actual number of lost jobs exceeds 16,000.

Wojciechowski acknowledged that this is a particularly tough period for our team, since we’re bidding farewell to esteemed coworkers who have given so generously of their talents.

Let’s tackle this situation with empathy, making sure everyone on the team feels cared for. Together, we can strive for a more robust tomorrow.

It’s with a heavy heart that we find ourselves in a position where over 120 skilled Aviators, individuals who have been valuable members of our team, must either take a leave of absence or depart from us due to the current circumstances.
As the gaming landscape continued to shift beyond my initial predictions, I found it essential to adapt accordingly. The video game market remains dynamic, necessitating a flexible approach. To meet these challenges head-on, I’m pouring more energy into contracted projects and dedicating myself wholeheartedly to developing a standalone game.
We believe in our teams, games, and their potential, and we remain extremely committed to continuing that journey, but we need to tailor our plans to our financial capacity.
I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you on the team, whose roles have been affected by these recent shifts. Your skills and passion have played a pivotal role in crafting our company and the games we love. These alterations resonate deeply within us all.
In these trying times, we understand that our team members may find it hard as they bid farewell to esteemed colleagues who have been invaluable to us. Our priority is to assist those affected by this transition, offering them necessary resources and guidance to help them cope with the change. We are also dedicated to caring for those remaining on the team, who are dealing with the emotional strain of losing not just coworkers, but friends as well.
Our priority is to approach this moment with compassion and to ensure our team feels supported as we work together to build a stronger future.
Even in these challenging times, our commitment to quality and innovation stays unwavering. To all those who appreciate our work, rest assured that our passion for realizing our dreams remains undiminished.

2024-12-10 21:48

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