Just Cause Creator’s New Studio Is Undergoing Layoffs

Abstract

Liquid Swords, a studio based via Christofer Sundberg, has introduced a spherical of layoffs.
The gaming trade continues to reel from enlargement stagnation.
NetEase Video games has a minority stake in Liquid Swords.

Liquid Swords, a studio based via Simply Reason writer Christofer Sundberg, has introduced a spherical of layoffs because of the “transferring marketplace stipulations” of the gaming trade (great spot, PC Gamer). It is a tale we have now learn numerous instances for the reason that starting of the trade’s stagnation length in 2023.

Gaming remains to be in the middle of a turbulent post-pandemic length. Pushed via COVID-19, the gaming trade noticed huge enlargement right through quarantine-filled years as shoppers searched for tactics to occupy their newfound loose time. Sadly, this exceptional enlargement drove hiring sprees and dangerous investments from which the trade remains to be lately reeling.

Layoffs and Downsizing

Liquid Swords Unnamed Game Concept Art Railway

Liquid Swords, based via Sundberg in 2020, is lately running on its debut identify, described as a “narrative-driven, open-world hardboiled AAA revenge tale, constructed and advanced in Unreal Engine 5.” Sundberg is highest recognized for founding Avalanche Studios, the developer of the Simply Reason collection. He departed the studio in 2019.

Sundberg equipped a statement regarding the layoffs, pronouncing “I promised our workers and shareholders good fortune and to construct a studio redefining sport building with a small, expert-driven workforce and a sustainable paintings type. Whilst we completed a lot of this, transferring marketplace stipulations averted us from succeeding inside our time-frame. Because of this, we will have to phase techniques with proficient people who were instrumental in our adventure. That is extremely tricky, however we stay dedicated to our imaginative and prescient and can proceed to paintings on our IP and primary sport with a devoted workforce.”

One among Liquid Swords’ shareholders is NetEase Video games, developer of the vastly widespread hero shooter Wonder Opponents. NetEase acquired a minority stake in Liquid Swords in 2022, making an investment an unspecified sum within the studio. On the time, Liquid Swords expressed its want to develop its workforce to 100 workers via 2023. Sadly, the studio has now gone through downsizing.

In spite of the good fortune of Wonder Opponents, NetEase Video games just lately introduced layoffs of its personal. A design workforce based totally in Seattle was once laid off for “organisational causes” and to “optimise developmental potency.”