Bandai Namco has joined the ranks of several recreation business companies that have recently cancelled video games and laid off employees. According to a recent report by Bloomberg, Japanese video game developer Bandai Namco has initiated a restructuring process that involves laying off approximately 15% of its workforce, specifically targeting around 200 of its 1,300 employees. [Thanks, Bloomberg!]
Firing commenced in April 2024, stemming from the discontinuation of several internal Bandai Namco projects. A concerted effort was made to take note of the trend towards cancellations and a shift away from investments in cellular and PC-based initiatives. As of summer 2024, Bandai Namco discontinued its mobile iteration of the series and has scheduled a complete shutdown for January 2025.
Growth on various title initiatives has stalled, been put on hold, and in certain cases, entirely discontinued. Various TV titles are being put on hold or scrapped altogether, according to reports from Bloomberg. The highly anticipated title, formerly commissioned by Nintendo, is currently on hold, according to the latest reports.
Bandai Namco should not be the lead studio to unveil strategies for live-service and mobile games. Sq. In 2024, Enix announced the shutdowns of several mobile games, including Final Fantasy Brave Exvius and other titles. Despite the growth of the western video game industry, layoffs and workforce reductions continue to affect major players such as Bungie, Activision Blizzard, and SEGA of America, among others.
Currently, there is limited information available regarding the implications of this development for studios under Bandai Namco’s umbrella, leaving uncertainty surrounding potential effects on other video games currently in production.
