UK-based game developer XR Games is undergoing a major restructuring process, resulting in the potential loss of 72 jobs as workers face redundancy.
As of 2017, Leeds-based XR Games gained recognition for its contributions to Hitman 3 VR: Reloaded, released last month, as well as Zombieland: Headshot Fever, with a forthcoming project in Zombie Army VR. Just over a day after the joint announcement from XR Games and Sony Interactive Entertainment on Starship Troopers: Invasion, it has emerged that a significant number of staff are set to be made redundant in the coming hours.
As of yet, XR Games’ CEO Bobby Kotick or the company have declined to issue a statement publicly; however, multiple sources within the organization have corroborated reports that approximately 72 employees from various departments, including the entire IT team, are being laid off. Prior to the restructuring, the studio’s website stated that it had a staff of over 100 employees.
We’ve reached out to XR Video Games for a formal statement on the matter and will update this information once we receive additional details.
Layoffs coincided with the underwhelming performance of Hitman 3 VR: Reloaded on Quest 3, which received significant criticism in our review due to its noticeable visual flaws and lackluster, flat-screen-inspired gameplay. XR video game developers initially faced backlash after launching their latest title, which had “not lived up to our own lofty standards.” In an effort to regain player trust, the team released a major “Day 4” patch aimed at addressing the most pressing issues.
Recently, UK-based VR developer nDreams announced a wave of layoffs affecting 17.5% of its workforce just prior to the highly anticipated launches of two upcoming titles: Vendetta Perpetually and Frenzies. At the time, CEO Patrick O’Luanaigh, a seasoned sports developer, revealed that the impending layoffs could potentially impact every level of the organization, including senior management.
