Killer Instinct studio Iron Galaxy has laid off 66 employees

Iron Galaxy Studios has announced a round of layoffs affecting 66 employees.

The Chicago-based indie studio behind Rumbleverse, which also has offices in Orlando and Nashville, said it was forced to make the staff cuts to ensure its “long-term survival”.

Best known as a co-development and support studio, Iron Galaxy has worked on numerous high-profile franchises including Call of Duty, The Last of Us, Uncharted, The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Destiny, BioShock and Killer Instinct.

It reportedly employed more than 250 people in March 2022, when it said it planned to hire over 100 more for the opening of its third studio.

Following several years of “making sacrifices” to keep its teams intact, Iron Galaxy said today in a LinkedIn update that it had “run out of room to maneuver”.

“In total, we have reduced our employee base by 66 people. This was a means of last resort for us. It’s a measure we do not take lightly to enable our long-term survival.

“Iron Galaxy is still committed to serving our partners in the creation of games. Our capabilities remain intact to work with the best companies in the world on the most beloved player experiences. This year, we’ll continue to explore new ways to support an industry we love and keep working towards its ongoing recovery.

“At this moment, our focus is on our teammates who have begun a journey toward their next role,” the studio added. “We thank them for working with us. We’ll be doing everything we can to support them in the search for the next phase of their careers. Keep an eye out for them if you need good people. We are sorry to see them go.”

Over one in 10 developers who participated in a recent GDC survey said they were laid off over the past year.

Game companies reportedly impacted by layoffs so far this year include Wargaming USA, Highwire Games, Netmarble, Toadman Interactive, Freejam, Pirahna Games, Counterplay Games, Microsoft, Splash Damage, Jar of Sparks, Probably Monsters and Ubisoft.