Crystal Dynamics is present process one other spherical of cuts. It revealed on Thursday that just about 30 extra builders can be laid off as the corporate restructures for the long run. Particularly, it claimed the cuts had been essential to “optimize the continued development of our flagship Tomb Raider game.” The Amazon Games-backed project was introduced three years in the past and nonetheless no official particulars have been shared, although Kotaku understands its growth has been difficult as Crystal Dynamics tried to push the franchise within the path of an open-world expertise.
The studio introduced the layoffs on LinkedIn:
In the present day we’ve made the troublesome however needed determination to reorganize Crystal Dynamics’ studios and groups. Consequently, we’ve parted methods with slightly below 30 group members throughout varied departments and tasks as we restructure the corporate and enterprise for our subsequent technology. Crystal deeply thanks all of these impacted for his or her unimaginable expertise, arduous work, and dedication, which helped form the studio in so some ways. We’re dedicated to providing our fullest sources and assist to you throughout this transition.
To our gamers – because the realities of the trade proceed to evolve, we’ve made these painful decisions as a approach to optimize the continued growth of our flagship Tomb Raider sport, in addition to shaping the remainder of the studio to make new video games for the long run.
We admire the continued assist of our gamers, our colleagues, and our companions throughout this transition and stay up for sharing the group’s superb new work with the world sooner or later.
It’s the third spherical of layoffs this 12 months and comes solely months after cuts that had been made because of the Microsoft’s cancellation of Good Darkish, which Crystal Dynamics was doing the majority of growth on. The Xbox stealth motion sport was reportedly virtually revived beneath a brand new writer, however the deal felt aside over IP rights.
The studio has been a part of Embracer Group because it was offered by Sq. Enix as a part of a $300 million bundle again in 2022. Its publishing associate for Tomb Raider, Amazon Video games, just lately underwent its own mass layoffs and introduced it was taking a step again from sure internally developed AAA video games. Crystal Dynamics’ newest budgetary pressures may attainable be the results of Amazon pulling again on the deal.
