Shocking Layoffs Hit Tomb Raider Developer: Future Games at Risk?

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Summary

  • Crystal Dynamics laid off 17 employees in an effort to align with business needs and future success.
  • It is unknown how the recent layoffs could impact projects like Perfect Dark and the next Tomb Raider installment.

Recently, video game developer Crystal Dynamics has let go of 17 employees due to the challenging circumstances in the gaming industry. As development costs rise and faith in the sector appears to be dwindling, it seems that Crystal Dynamics is the latest company resorting to layoffs as a strategy to navigate through this difficult period.

Established in 1992, Crystal Dynamics has been responsible for some extremely successful game franchises like Tomb Raider, Gex, and Soul Reaver. More recently, they have become recognized primarily for their Tomb Raider trilogy, launched between 2013 and 2018, as well as Marvel’s Avengers in 2020. Prior to 2022, this studio was under the ownership of Square Enix; however, it was later acquired by the Embracer Group, who now hold the rights to it.

Currently, Crystal Dynamics has announced that approximately 17 team members are being let go from the company. According to their statement, this move aims to “optimize our current business requirements and ensure the studio’s long-term prosperity,” without affecting any ongoing projects. It is important to note that with over 300 employees at Crystal Dynamics, this reduction represents less than a tenth of the workforce.

Crystal Dynamics Lays Off 17 Employees

At this point, it’s unclear whether these layoffs will impact the progress of games like Perfect Dark and the upcoming Tomb Raider installment. Back in 2024, news surfaced that Perfect Dark’s development was facing difficulties, as the game was reportedly in a troubled state. Originally developed by Microsoft’s The Initiative Studio, Crystal Dynamics joined forces on the game’s development in 2021.

It’s not too unexpected that Crystal Dynamics is letting go of staff members due to a series of challenges. Besides the potential issues surrounding the development of Perfect Dark, their more recent projects, including Marvel’s Avengers, have struggled to capture public interest. This game was removed from all stores in September 2023.

Embracer Group, the parent company of Crystal Dynamics, has been considering further redundancies starting from early 2025, potentially affecting up to half of Black Forest Games’ staff. Last month, Embracer’s CEO, Lars Wingefors, disclosed that recent layoffs were aimed at boosting shareholder returns, a statement that sparked significant controversy. The future of Crystal Dynamics post these layoffs is uncertain, and there are concerns about potential impacts on projects like Perfect Dark or the upcoming Tomb Raider.

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2025-03-27 03:44