The upheaval within the video game industry has now reached the doors of acclaimed British studio Supermassive Games. The creator of beloved titles such as Until Dawn, The Quarry, and The Dark Pictures Anthology has initiated a substantial round of layoffs, a somber reflection of the ongoing turbulence plaguing the sector.
According to a company statement, Supermassive is undergoing organizational restructuring in order to navigate the “significant challenges” faced by the industry at large. Though specific numbers were not provided, reports indicate that nearly 90 of the studio’s 350+ employees are expected to be impacted.
Supermassive acknowledged the painful yet necessary decision to downsize its workforce. The studio emphasized a renewed focus on leveraging its core strengths and delivering on upcoming projects to ensure long-term sustainability.
Acclaimed Studio Downsizes Amid Turbulent Industry Climate
On the horizon for Supermassive are highly anticipated titles such as Little Nightmares 3, The Casting of Frank Stone – a narrative offshoot from Dead by Daylight, and the next installment in The Dark Pictures Anthology series titled Directive 8020.
The studio first captured widespread acclaim with 2015’s Until Dawn, a narrative-driven PS4 exclusive that will finally receive a PC port later this year. Subsequent successes further cemented Supermassive as a premier creator of story-focused horror games. Its 2022 acquisition by Nordisk Games marked a new era under the banner of the Danish Egmont Group.
Supermassive Remains Committed to Upcoming Titles
Unfortunately, the latest round of job cuts is reflective of a somber trend plaguing the entire video game industry. Over 11,000 layoffs occurred in 2023 alone, with nearly 6,000 more already recorded a month into 2024. Just weeks prior, Homeworld 3 developer Blackbird Interactive downsized for similar reasons.
While certainly disheartening, Supermassive appears committed to weathering the storm. By retaining its foremost talent and reigning in budgets, the studio hopes to maintain its sterling reputation for suspenseful interactive storytelling. While the road ahead poses challenges, fans continue to eagerly await future tales of terror from this visionary team.
