Outriders studio, People Can Fly, are laying off 30+ staff members

It isn’t even the end of January and already there are so many news stories of studios laying off staff. Only a few days ago we got word that Riot Games will lay off 350 members. Now, Polish studio, People Can Fly, is joining in on the mass layoffs happening across the gaming and tech sphere.

Reported by Kotaku, the layoffs only affected those who are working on their newest title, currently called codename Project Gemini. The title will be published by Square Enix, much like their 2021 game Outriders, and is set to launch in 2026. The cuts are due to “budget limitations and shrinking scope” as stated by the development director Adam Alker. An additional 20 staff members were cut from Project Gemini, however, they have reportedly been moved to work on other projects within the company.

In an internal email, Alker stated that they understand this decision “impacts each of you” but want to express their gratitude for “your hard work, dedication and contributions thus far”. Employees in Poland will have a three-month transition period and will continue to work for those three months. However, for those who don’t live in Poland, their transition period is until the end of the week.

In 2022, People Can Fly, announced in a financial report that Outriders didn’t recover the costs and expenses. It’s pretty disappointing to see yet another studio having to let go of staff. But it most likely won’t be the last. 23 companies have announced layoffs, with a reported 3,972 people laid off. It’s absolutely heartbreaking to see, especially considering how explosive the gaming industry is now.

With 2023 being one of the best years in gaming, it also brought many stories of mass layoffs. And with Riot, Discord and Twitch, it seems 2024 isn’t stopping anytime soon.