Star Wars Hunters Developer NaturalMotion Is Facing Layoffs - October 2024

As a seasoned gamer with decades of experience under my belt, I can’t help but feel a pang of sadness and concern every time I hear about studios like NaturalMotion facing layoffs. The games they produce often bring us countless hours of entertainment, and their teams work tirelessly to make that happen. It’s disheartening to see such talent potentially lost to the industry due to business decisions.

It’s reported that the mobile game development company known for hits like Backbreaker, CSR Racing, and Star Wars: Hunters – NaturalMotion – has initiated job cuts. As per recent news from GamesIndustry.biz, these layoffs are already underway.

According to the report, the studio owned by Zynga in Birmingham, known for creating racing games, has already closed. They still have two more studios located in London and Brighton.

In response to an inquiry from GIBiz for a comment, Zynga didn’t verify whether their studio had closed or if layoffs at NaturalMotion had initiated. Instead, they mentioned that “several positions” could be affected as part of a company evaluation taking place in both the U.S. and the U.K.

As a game enthusiast myself, I’m fully dedicated to bridging global communities through engaging gaming experiences. To maintain efficiency and sustainability, we’ve made the tough call to scrutinize our operations in the UK and US. This process might affect roles in both regions. However, I firmly believe these adjustments will position our studio for long-term success and align with our future development objectives.

Crucially, there should be no interruptions in gameplay for our users while we go through this changeover. We’ll collaborate closely with those employees who might be impacted, ensuring they receive exceptional thoughtfulness, respect, and compassion throughout the process.

This year, it’s been reported that over 13,000 jobs have been cut within the video game industry due to layoffs. However, since not all layoff figures are disclosed, the actual number is likely much higher. As for Zynga, it belongs to Take-Two Interactive, a company that has also carried out several layoffs in 2024.

How about rephrasing it like this: “What are your thoughts on NaturalMotion continuing its streak of successful studios amidst this year’s rounds of job cuts? Engage in the conversation here or visit our official forum for a more in-depth discussion.

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