Neverwinter developer Cryptic Studios confirms layoffs
Cryptic Studios, best known for its City of Heroes and Neverwinter MMOs, has announced that it has laid off employees and will now operate under DECA Games, becoming the latest studio to be impacted by Embracer's restructuring plan.
The details:
Cryptic confirmed the "personnel changes" to GamesIndustry.biz, also revealing that the company no longer operates as part of Gearbox Entertainment but rather DECA Games, another Embracer-owned company. "As part of the Embracer Group’s comprehensive restructuring program, Cryptic Studios will now operate under DECA Games," the spokesperson said. "In addition to this organizational change, our commitment to Embracer’s directive to reduce costs requires us to undertake difficult personnel changes, including separating from some team members.”
The number of employees affected by the move is unknown, but Narrative Director Winter Mullenix confirmed that she was among those affected, as well as several senior-level designers, artists, producers, and developers, including VP of Game Development Andre Emerson.
Embracer Group has had a difficult year, announcing a restructuring program after the collapse of a $2 billion deal, which has resulted in multiple studios cutting their workforce or closing entirely, including Saints Row developer Volition. Egil Strunke, the company's chief operating officer, has also announced his departure, with Saber Interactive CEO Matthew Karch now serving as interim COO.
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