Layoffs in the gaming industry have plagued 2023, and by the looks of it, the trend has no means of slowing down in 2024 either.
This time, the Polish team People Can Fly is facing layoffs, affecting over 30 individuals, as revealed in an email shared with Kotaku and subsequently confirmed via the publication. Similar to other companies in these rough times, People Can Fly have expressed their commitment to supporting the affected employees during the transition.
In the provided email, Developer Director Adam Alker attributes the layoffs to a reduced budget and a scaled-down scope for an unannounced game known as Project Gemini, slated for publication by Square Enix. While 20 individuals will be removed from the project, they will still have the opportunity to continue working for the company.
The layoffs follow the release of Bulletstorm VR, published by PCF, which garnered notoriety for its disastrous launch. In response to player complaints about various issues, People Can Fly and the developers have issued a joint statement, pledging to address and rectify the identified issues.
One can hope this terrible trend ends sooner rather than later. My full support for everyone affected.