Playtonic Games has announced that it has made the “painful” decision to layoff members of its team as it acknowledges it has been impacted by “a period of profound change in how games are created and financed.”
“This is one of the messages we never wanted to have to write. We’ve all seen in recent years how the games industry has been changing, resulting in studio after studio finding themselves in situations where to continue to exist, they must make painful decisions – decisions that impact the lives of so many individual talented developers. Like others, we’ve felt the knock-on effects and after exploring every possible avenue, we’ve had to make the incredibly heartbreaking decision to say goodbye to some truly brilliant members of the Playtonic team,” the developer shared in an update.
“This isn’t a reflection of anyone’s talent or dedication, the people leaving have poured so much heart, creativity, and care into everything we do. They’ve helped shape our studio, our games, and our culture, and we’re incredibly proud of what we’ve built together. This isn’t simply a difficult moment, it’s a period of profound change in how games are created and financed. The landscape is shifting, and with it, so must we.
“Our thoughts are with those we’re parting ways with. Saying goodbye to such skilled, kind, and committed people is the hardest part of all. We will always consider you part of the Playtonic family, and we’ll do all we can to support your next steps.
“If you’re reading this and you’re hiring, we can’t speak highly enough of our departing team members. You’d be lucky to have them.”
The developer’s next game is Yooka-Replaylee, which it states is “the definitive remade and enhanced version” of Yooka-Laylee. It will have “new remixed challenges and old favourites,” with a new map, shiny new currency and customisation options.
Yooka-Replaylee will be released digitally on the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch 2 worldwide in 2025.
