Homeworld 3 developer Blackbird Interactive confirms more layoffs
Blackbird Interactive, the studio behind the recently delayed Homeworld 3, has announced a round of layoffs for the second time in the last six months.
The details:
As reported by Game Developer, former employees at the studio shared news of the cuts on LinkedIn, claiming that it had affected roles "across the company." This included lead producer Jacob Van Rooyen and Alexander Weatherston, who was directing one of the company's projects.
The developer confirmed the layoffs in a statement to GamesIndustry.biz, citing current "economic pressures." "Due to economic pressures outside of our control, we had to take the unfortunate step of separating from some friends," a spokesperson for the studio said.
Blackbird also stated that those affected will be provided with severance packages and other benefits. "This is part of a realignment plan that's necessary because of new projects that were shelved by some of our partners," the company said in a statement. “We looked at multiple ways of avoiding this and regretfully other options weren’t viable. Because the affected team members are our BBI family, we want to help position them well for this next stage of their careers. We're offering a suite of extended benefits and severance to help ease this transition."
The studio went through a round of layoffs in August 2023, affecting 41 employees, or approximately 13% of its workforce, and resulting in multiple project cancellations. It is currently working on Homeworld 3, which has been delayed several times, the most recent delay being last week in response to player feedback.
Other recent layoff news:
Toys for Bob, the developer of Spyro Reignited Trilogy, has been hard hit by Activision Blizzard's recent layoffs, which have affected the majority of the studio and forced it to close its physical office.
Embracer Group has confirmed that its restructuring program has resulted in approximately 1,400 job cuts since last year, with the possibility of more to come.
