Eidos-Montréal, the Canadian developer behind Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, several Deus Ex games, and more, has confirmed that it’s laying off 97 people.
In a statement released yesterday (January 29), the developer, which is owned by Embracer Group, blamed the “global economic context” as well as the “challenges” of the games industry and Embracer’s enormous restructuring program for the layoffs. Embracer’s restructuring began last year and saw over 900 people laid off by the end of September 2023. This rose even further before the end of the year.
“The global economic context, the challenges of our industry, and the comprehensive restructuring announced by Embracer have finally impacted our studio,” Eidos-Montréal’s statement reads. “The difficult decision has been made to let go 97 people from development teams, administration, and support services.
“We are working to support all impacted personnel through this transition. These very talented, highly experienced people are entering the employment market, and we want them to find their next projects and are helping to do so,” it continues. “As we navigate these difficult times, the well-being of our team is our priority, and the continuous commitment to creating games that players will be able to enjoy.”
These latest layoffs at Eidos-Montréal sadly aren’t the first to occur this year. As we come to the end of only the first month of 2024, we’ve seen staff cuts at Dead by Daylight developer Behaviour Interactive, Lords of the Fallen publisher CI Games, Embracer-owned studio Lost Boys Interactive, and many more.
Speaking in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz last year, Embracer Group’s interim chief strategy officer, Phil Rogers, called the human impact caused by the company’s layoffs “agonizing,” but said that ultimately, restructuring is “how we win."
If you’re looking for more games to play, you can find some excellent recommendations on our lists of the best indie games, as well as the best indie horror games.
