cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/11258346

Polish developer Reikon Games has reportedly dismissed a significant portion of its workforce.

Sources told GamesIndustry.biz that around 70 people have been laid off, while former producer Rafał Basaj claimed it was around 60 people via a Threads post.

Others told Kotaku that an estimated 56% of the company’s employees have been affected.

The layoffs were announced to staff on January 23, 2024, with multiple former employees since posting on LinkedIn and social media platforms that they are looking for work.

GamesIndustry.biz reached out to Reikon Games for confirmation and comment, but has not received a response at the time of writing.

Reikon is best known for 2017 cyberpunk shooter Ruiner, which was published by Devolver Digital.

  • inlandempire@jlai.lu
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    9 months ago

    We will go from one of the best year in gaming in terms of releases, to 2024, where I wonder how many games will actually come out given the amount of workers being abandoned

    Edit : from https://publish.obsidian.md/vg-layoffs we’re only 26 days into this new year and the number of people laid off is already HALF OF THE TOTAL OF LAST YEAR this is insane

    • Pohl@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      I haven’t chased down sources but I saw a claim that the industry added net 20k jobs in 2023. This might really be more realignment than bloodbath. Anyone who was debt financing payroll has to make changes asap, but the industry still generates tons of revenue and grows YoY.

      • inlandempire@jlai.lu
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        9 months ago

        That’s interesting, then to me it means that whoever was in charge and made the decision to hire that many people without questioning the long term financial sustainability of such decision must be to blame

        • Pohl@lemmy.world
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          9 months ago

          That is a valid take. You could also say that all the VC was transferred into payroll for ordinary folks without any return to the SV billionaire club.

          Totally different industry, but my company took a huge swing a few years back that blew up in their faces. It’s been rough since then but I put a LOT of money in my pocket during that period and I’m certainly better off than if they had prudently managed on austerity budgets the whole time.