Supermassive Games, the studio renowned for titles like “Until Dawn,” has confirmed a new round of job cuts and a postponement for their upcoming “Dark Pictures” title. In a recent announcement shared on social media, the company attributed these staff reductions to the “challenging and constantly evolving landscape” of the video game industry.
Supermassive stated that to better adjust their team structure to current industry shifts, they have initiated a redundancy consultation process, potentially affecting up to 36 employees. They emphasized that this was a challenging decision, not made lightly, and their primary focus remains on supporting the individuals impacted by these changes.
While Supermassive confirmed that this reorganization would not affect the ongoing development of “Little Nightmares III,” the same assurance could not be given for “Directive 8020,” which is the newest installment in their popular “Dark Pictures Anthology.”
The studio confirmed their continued dedication to ongoing projects and announced that “Directive 8020`s” release date has been shifted to the first half of 2026. They noted the overwhelmingly positive reception to the game thus far, stating that the extra development time would enable them to provide an optimal experience for players. Supermassive expressed profound gratitude for their community`s understanding and backing.
Supermassive Games operates under the ownership of Nordisk Games, which also holds Avalanche Studios, the creators of the “Just Cause” series.
This is not the first instance of job reductions at Supermassive Games; they previously laid off approximately 150 employees in February 2024. The broader gaming industry has seen widespread layoffs recently, with major players like Microsoft also reducing their workforce, canceling projects, and even shutting down studios entirely.
“Directive 8020” is described as a survival-horror title featuring Lashana Lynch, acclaimed for her roles as Maria Rambeau in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and in the James Bond film “No Time To Die.”