Summary
Staff at veteran game developerCryptic Studiosare experiencing another round of layoffs, almost a year after the last round.Cryptic Studiosdevelops and operates the massively multiplayer online gamesNeverwinterandStar Trek Online.
Cryptic Studios is a veteran of the persistent online multiplayer space. Originally founded in 2000, developers at the studio createdCity of Heroes,one of the best MMORPGs of all timeand a seminal influence for superhero online games. The company also went on to create more MMORPGs, includingChampions Online, based on theChampionstabletop game, theStar Trek-based MMOStar Trek Online, andNeverwinter. The latter two continue to operate under Cryptic’s direction.
That said, the fate of Cryptic Studios is once again in question, followinga report on Game Developerof new layoffs affecting staff. According to the report, multiple Cryptic Studios staffers have posted on social networks like LinkedIn and platforms like Twitter stating that they’d been laid off and would be departing the studio by July 02, 2025. The exact number of people let go is unclear, but the layoffs included people like Character Artist Amelia March and Senior Artist Mauricio Tejerina.Star Trek OnlineArt Director Thomas Marrone, who also modeled severalStar Trek Onlineshipsthat were made canonical by theStar Trek: Picardshow, confirmed the layoffs on Twitter, saying that many people were being let go “through no fault of their own” and that their loss would be “deeply felt.”
Cryptic Studios Layoffs Affect Multiple Staff
The layoffs come almost one full year after jobs were cut in November 2023. That wave was part of a “restructuring” effort that sawEmbracer Group fire thousands of developersat its owned studios.
The new layoffs come during an uncertain time for Cryptic Studios as a whole. While bothStar Trek OnlineandNeverwinterare still operating and have solid player populations, the company is in the process of transitioning operations and development of both titles to DECA Games, another part of Embracer group focused on free-to-play and live service titles. When that process is complete, it’s not clear if Cryptic Studios has any other projects in the works.
The turmoil that rocked Embracer Group after the collapse of its financial deal continues to have effects on developers and people years later. Even now,Embracer Group itself is splitting up, dividing up the huge stable of IPs and development studios it bought up during its rush of acquisitions in previous years.
Star Trek Online
WHERE TO PLAY
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