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PlayStation partner Deviation Games has reported a massive wave of layoffs just two years after the studio announced its partnership with the video game giant. With the developers currently in the process of creating a new AAA live-service IP, the significant staff reduction is sure to affect the game’s large-scale production.
More than 90 people have also allegedly been hit by this sudden decision – an undeniably huge blow as this makes up more than half of the studio’s entire staff. Because of this, many are now speculating that the upcoming multiplayer game is going to be canceled soon because removing a large portion of your workforce during production doesn’t exactly bode well for its future.
For those unfamiliar, Deviation Games initially announced their partnership with Sony in 2021 “to develop a new original IP” for current gen systems. This agreement would kickstart PlayStation’s ongoing plan of ramping up its live service efforts after they had also previously acquired three other multiplayer-centric video game companies in Bungie, Haven Studios, and Firewalk Studios.
Unfortunately, details on the upcoming AAA game remain scarce to this day as the developers still haven’t revealed much in terms of its gameplay, plot, and design. The company’s decision to downsize also makes the disclosure of further information highly unlikely as those within the organization are likely working to get through this crisis.
Alas, this isn’t the only instance of a beloved studio suffering an unfortunate incident in the past few weeks as Sony also shut down Concrete Genie developer PixelOpus during the beginning of May. Hopefully, this is the last we hear of layoffs within this field, but the volatile nature of this industry sadly indicates otherwise.
