Update: Artificer parent company Devolver Digital has confirmed that 28 developers are being laid off. The publisher said 18 people have been let go effective immediately and 10 will depart after their current project has launched.
“Yesterday, Devolver and studio Artificer made the tough decision to reduce the Artificer workforce by 28 employees, 18 effective immediately and 10 after their current project releases,” reads a statement sent to Game Developer.
“Over the past year, both companies have worked together to navigate the studio’s difficulties to ensure Artificer remains open and that their hard work is realized with the launch of their next game. Layoffs are not easy, and the remaining team at Artificer and Devolver Digital are committed to supporting these talented and creative professionals find new roles throughout the industry.”
Original story: Polish studio Artificer has laid off around 20 developers, according to a report from Kotaku.
The Showgunners developer currently employs over 40 people, so that would represent a significant round of layoffs.
Artificer is owned by indie publisher Devolver Digital and launched its debut title in May last year.
Sources told Kotaku that roughly 25 people were impacted by the cuts. Another 10 to 12 employees will apparently be laid off in a few months time after they’ve finished adding polish to the studio’s next title.
Once those layoffs have concluded, Artificer’s remaining staff will begin working on a new project.
Game Developer has reached out to Devolver and Artificer to confirm the news.
2024 has been absolutely brutal for game developers, with the huge wave of layoffs that enveloped 2023 continuing to wreak havoc across the industry. Since the turn of the year, barely a day has passed without reports of redundancies, and thousands of people have already lost their jobs after cuts at major studios like Microsoft, Unity, Embracer and so many others.