Crystal Dynamics has laid off an unknown variety of staff following the cancelation of Perfect Dark by Microsoft.
In a statement on LinkedIn, Crystal Dynamics confirmed the layoffs, however didn’t specify the variety of individuals impacted.
“At the moment we made the very tough choice to half methods with various our gifted colleagues as the results of evolving enterprise circumstances,” the assertion reads. “This choice was not made flippantly. It was mandatory, nevertheless, to make sure the long-term well being of our studio and core inventive priorities in a regularly shifting market.”
The corporate additionally confirmed that Tomb Raider, nonetheless in growth, was unaffected by the choice.
Whereas the assertion doesn’t explicitly point out Perfect Dark as the explanation behind the layoffs, multiple former workers have posted on social media whose posts and profiles recommend that was the sport they had been engaged on. These layoffs appear to be a delayed response to Xbox canceling Perfect Dark, which Crystal Dynamics was engaged on with The Initiative, earlier this 12 months. The Initiative was shuttered on the time of the cancelation, again in July.
Crystal Dynamics was initially introduced in to revitalize Perfect Dark after struggles getting the mission transferring with former co-developer, Sure Affinity. Crystal was later acquired by the Embracer Group in 2022, at which era the studio was revealed to have 273 workers throughout its Austin, Bellevue, and San Mateo places of work. Crystal laid off ten people in 2023, and laid off 17 more people earlier this year. It is unclear what number of stay now.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You’ll find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Received a narrative tip? Ship it to rvalentine@ign.com.