Gearbox Has Made A Series Of Layoffs As Part Of Embracer Group’s Restructuring

Earlier on Thursday it was revealed that Volition Games would be shut down, due to Embracer Group restructuring its business in the fallout of a $2 billion partnership deal collapsing.

Later that same day we see more victims of Embracer’s restructuring, as a report from GameDeveloper reveals more layoffs from Gearbox Publishing.

“No one saw it coming, but my contract and those of my colleagues who started in June had to be terminated. We were simply victims of the group’s restructuring.” said a translator from Gearbox Publishing Allan Jacquemart.

Embracer had a partnership deal with Saudi Arabia’s Savvy Games, a huge deal to the tune of $2 billion, which ended up not closing due to Saudi Arabia pulling out in the eleventh hour.

Since then Embracer has been making cuts, and unfortunately this has meant far too many talented developers losing their jobs, and the closing of a 30-year old studio in Volition’s case.

Embracer has spent the last few years acquiring as many studios and IP as it could, with the idea that it would release so many games per year that any losses would be balanced out through the sheer quantity of games.

What seems to have happened now however is a general mismanagement of all its different teams, and Embracer putting far too many eggs in one basket with the failed partnership.

It’s disappointing and saddening to see, and hopefully those effected by the layoffs land on their feet as soon as possible.

Source – [GameDeveloper]