Relic Entertainment has announced sweeping cuts it said were made to give the studio “the best possible chance to survive.”
Last month, Relic, the developer of real-time strategy games Dawn of War and Company of Heroes, bought itself out from previous owner Sega with the help of an external developer. Hot on the heels of that announcement comes confirmation of yet another wave of layoffs less than a year after 121 were let go from the studio.
“Following last week’s announcement of Relic becoming an independent studio, today we have some difficult news,” Relic said in a statement published on LinkedIn.
“Earlier today we shared details with Relicans about a layoff. Letting people go was not an easy decision, and was made solely with the goal of providing Relic the best possible chance to survive in an increasingly volatile industry. It does not in any way reflect the expertise, passion, or character of any of the impacted employees.
“We are working closely with those affected providing severance packages, extended benefits, and outplacement support options.
“To those we are saying goodbye to, we are deeply sorry that it has come to this. We thank you for everything you have done for our studio and our projects, and we wish you all the best.”
Relic external development producer Robyn Smale issued a separate statement on LinkedIn, confirming 41 were let go in this latest round of cuts.
“I am absolutely gutted that we are here again with more layoffs at Relic Entertainment,” Smale said. “We have lost a number of amazing people – 41. It’s been a bumpy road lately, so to most, this is no surprise. But still a shame, nonetheless.”
When Relic announced its independence, it said it would continue to support its existing titles, including last year’s Company of Heroes 3. The studio has yet to announce what’s next.
The layoffs at Relic come amid one of the toughest periods the video game industry has ever faced. Thousands of staff have lost their jobs, with Microsoft laying off 1,900 from its gaming business, and Sony cutting 900 staff from PlayStation. Analysts predict more are to come.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].
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