Dune: Awakening studio Funcom hit with layoffs

Funcom, the Norwegian developer behind the hit survival title Dune: Awakening, has announced a wave of layoffs despite the success of the title following its launch earlier this year.

The details:

• As reported by GamesIndustry.biz, the studio confirmed it is cutting an undisclosed number of jobs as part of a company-wide restructuring. It explained that the decision comes as it aims to direct its resources into “releasing new content, features, and enhancements,” stating that Dune: Awakening is "the biggest release we’ve had in our 32-year-long history of making great games.”
• It explained in the statement that the restructuring is necessary as it moves from the development process into supporting the game’s future as a live-service title and continues work on its upcoming console port set to arrive next year. "This difficult process is starting now, and we cannot yet determine the exact impact. We are working to find new opportunities for those affected,” Funcom said. "Our focus now is to provide these team members with the support and guidance they need, and we ask for your understanding at this time, as we will not make further comments during this process."
• Released back in June, Dune: Awakening was an immediate success, reaching a concurrent player count of over 180,000 on Steam, with the game currently sitting at an average daily peak of 20,000. Reviews from fans and critics have also been positive, with many praising its alternate timeline take on the Dune lore and unique take on the survival game genre.