PC Gamer - USA 2019-09)

FAR LEFT: .Over 250

game developers

lost their jobs last

year as Telltale began

the process of closing

its doors.

LEFT: Around 800

game developers

were laid off by

Activision-Blizzard

this year, while the

company reported

“record profits”.

ROOTS AND SEEDS Here are a few prominent developer layoffs and some of the offshoots they spawned

CLOVER STUDIO

After the commercial disappointment of

Viewtiful Joe, Okami, and God Hand,

Clover Studios was dissolved. One of the

teams formed in its wake was

PlatinumGames, now recognized as one

of the best action developers around.

VISCERAL GAMES

The four developers at A Wandering

Band met at Visceral Games, and two

were directly affected by EA’s closure of

the studio. The small team now

develops Airborne Kingdom, a

high-flying city management game.

FUNCOM

Funcom has changed sizes several

times over its history, with these

sometimes wild swings and layoffs

leading to the rise of teams including

Red Thread Games and indie darling

Kitfox Games (Boyfriend Dungeon).

IRRATIONAL GAMES
The poster child for offshoots, this
mass-layoff led to the creation of The
Deep End Games (Perception),
Question Games (The Blackout Club),
and Chump Squad (Kine), among many
other talented teams.
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.

Tencent (parent

company of Riot,

Epic, Supercell, etc)

laid off around 5,

of its own employees

early this year.