XR Games Hit With Layoffs

by

XR Games Hit With Layoffs

Key Takeaways

  • Hitman 3 VR: Reloaded developer XR Games is laying off 86% of its staff.
  • Numerous AAA game studios, including Embracer Group, Sony, Bungie, and Microsoft, have announced layoffs in 2023-2024.
  • XR Games CEO confirms layoffs, plans to release remaining VR titles.

As a long-time fan of the Hitman series, I find myself deeply saddened by the recent news about XR Games and their decision to lay off 86% of their staff. It’s disheartening to see such a talented team being affected by the ups and downs of the video game industry.

Development studio XR Games, responsible for Hitman 3 VR: Reloaded, has announced a restructuring plan that will result in the dismissal of 72 employees. This significant reduction in workforce represents a large portion of the company’s staff. The decision was made following underwhelming critical reception and sales figures for the virtual reality debut of Hitman 3, forcing XR Games to take severe measures to adjust its organizational structure and financial resources.>

2023 and 2024 saw a wave of significant job cuts announced by top-tier game development studios like Embracer Group, Sony, Bungie, and Microsoft. Many smaller companies have also been grappling with similar difficulties, leading to large-scale workforce reductions, canceled projects, and even corporate closures. Regrettably, the team at XR Games, developers of Hitman 3 VR: Reloaded, has become the latest casualty in these challenging times.

According to Eurogamer’s report, Bobby Thandi, CEO of XR Games, has announced that the company is proceeding with significant staff reductions after a long period of investigating other possible solutions. The potential layoffs were initially mentioned following a LinkedIn post by an ex-employee, who stated that about 72 out of 84 employees, or roughly 86% of the workforce, had been given notice of termination. The affected team members are said to encompass programmers, game designers, and individuals from production and project management departments. Although Thandi didn’t disclose specific numbers or departments involved, he did confirm that XR Games intends to publish its ongoing VR projects, Zombie Army VR and Starship Troopers: Continuum. In recent times, several virtual reality games have fallen short of audience expectations, but the challenges faced by Hitman 3 VR: Reloaded have come as a surprise to many.

XR Games Laying Off 86% of Staff

Despite generally divided opinions from critics and gamers regarding Hitman 3 VR: Reloaded, there was a strong expectation that it would receive bug fixes and improvements based on feedback. However, it appears that such updates might not materialize anymore, given XR Games’ focus on launching their upcoming titles. This has led some fans to question whether the remaining team at XR Games can deliver Zombie Army VR and Starship Troopers: Continuum with a higher level of quality than the VR version of Hitman 3. Both titles from XR Games are scheduled for release this year, but it remains to be seen if the team’s recent layoffs will affect the player experience.

The video game industry is currently navigating through turbulent periods, with companies such as FromSoftware considering pay increases while others are grappling with difficult choices like reducing workforce size, sometimes drastically. Keep an eye out for any news regarding the fate of XR Games and its ongoing VR endeavors.

Read More

2024-10-05 01:43