Mario Kart Live developer Velan likely to be affected by major layoffs
Velan Studios, the developer of Mario Kart Live and Knockout City, has announced that it is restructuring, which could result in the layoff of roughly one-third of its workforce.
The details:
In a statement posted to X, the New York-based developer revealed that it is in the "early stages of reorganization" after a "major project was suddenly canceled by an external partner." Currently, 46 of its 121 employees have been informed that they are at risk of being laid off in the coming 60 days.
The studio will now focus on its other upcoming titles, some of which are expected to be released later this year, as well as attempting to secure new partnerships. It also confirmed that it would provide as much assistance as possible to those affected by the cuts.
Velan was founded in 2016 by the founders of Skylanders developer Vicarious Visions, Guha and Karthik Bala. The studio created Nintendo's augmented reality toy, Mario Kart Live Home Circuit, as well as the dodgeball game Knockout City, which was shut down last year. Its most recent game, Hot Wheels: Rift Rally, which was released for iOS and PlayStation systems last year, uses a mixed-reality concept similar to Mario Kart Live.
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