Supermassive Games is planning to let go of more employees, as per their latest statement. In addition, they’ve revealed that the release date for their upcoming horror game, “Directive 8020: A Dark Pictures Game,” has been pushed back.
As reported by Game Rant based on a prior version of Supermassive’s official site, by June 2023, the Guildford-based studio boasted over 350 employees, representing a 40% yearly rise. This figure represented their highest staff count to date, but following this peak, Supermassive started trimming its workforce. In February 2024, they announced layoffs, attributing the decision primarily to business difficulties arising from broader industry trends. At that time, no specific numbers were disclosed; however, it’s been reported that approximately 90 positions were eliminated as a result of these reductions.
On July 22nd, Supermassive Games, a British developer, announced their second round of job cuts over the past 18 months. This reduction in workforce could lead to as many as 36 positions being eliminated. In a post on their social media platforms, the company described these layoffs as a “tough choice” that was not made lightly. They framed this decision as part of their ongoing strategies to adjust to the dynamic and rapidly changing landscape of the contemporary video game market.
Supermassive Delays Directive 8020
The July 22 statement from Supermassive Games revealed they were postponing one of their upcoming titles, “Directive 8020,” originally scheduled for release in October 2022 but now moved to the first half of 2026. Previously, it was slated for a February 2022 launch, so it’s speculated that they may be aiming for a second quarter rather than first quarter release instead.
In late June, Supermassive announced that Little Nightmares 3 would be released on October 10. The company also stated that their other upcoming horror game won’t be impacted by recent layoffs. It seems clear from this announcement that the delay of Directive 8020 was due to the studio cutting down its workforce. This implies that all the anticipated 36 layoffs are focused on the team working on The Dark Pictures project.
Supermassive Games’ Employee Count Over the (Recent) Years
| Period | Employees | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| July 2020 | 150+ | |
| June 2021 | 200+ | |
| April 2022 | 200+ | |
| June 2023 | 350+ | |
| June 2024 | ~260 | Not officially reported |
| July 2025 | ~224 | Not officially reported |
In July 2025, Supermassive’s workforce reduction wasn’t an isolated event in the industry. As early as the start of the month, Microsoft initiated a significant workforce reduction affecting up to 9,000 positions across its subsidiaries, including numerous game development studios. The company stated that these cuts were primarily focused on streamlining middle management.
The continuous wave of layoffs in the industry, now lasting several years, is influenced by various factors. These include escalating development costs leading to cost-saving measures, as well as broader economic pressures due to increasing interest rates (eliminating easy money) and missed revenue targets.
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2025-07-22 20:34