The group behind VR video games Myst, Riven, Firmament and Obduction parted with “roughly half” the workforce, or a dozen “gifted employees members”.
Here is the total assertion launched by Cyan:
At this time we wish to share with you some very unlucky information. Regardless of our greatest efforts to keep away from it, Cyan has made the troublesome resolution to scale back our general employees measurement—ensuing within the layoff of twelve gifted employees members, roughly half the team-effective on the finish of March.
Trade circumstances have compelled us into a tough spot the place we’re having to weigh the longer term well being of our studio towards the month-to-month realities of sport growth in 2025. All through the previous yr, we’ve been ultra-transparent with your complete Cyan workforce concerning the uneven waters we discover ourselves in, in addition to the hazards forward. Whereas the information of a layoff was not a shock to the workforce, it was (and is) nonetheless deeply saddening for all of us.
Though we’ve finished our greatest to pad the touchdown for these affected with severance packages, we’d implore any fellow builders on the lookout for world-class expertise to succeed in out.
For now, our primary precedence is to safe financing for our subsequent mission, and to restabilize the studio. We have been round for a really very long time, and have been by powerful instances earlier than. Our honest hope is to proceed to be round, and to offer the kinds of experiences that solely Cyan can ship.
As all the time, we’re grateful for all of the love and assist from our superb participant neighborhood.
The particular word about looking for financing does not particularly point out VR, however Cyan is amongst a small group of studios with expertise creating titles with hand monitoring.
How can Apple, Meta, Google, Valve, Sony and others fail to fund groups like Cyan to work on extra VR video games?
