Summary
Hitman 3 VR: Reloadeddevelopment studioXR Gameshas confirmed an initiative to lay off 72 employees, gutting a majority of its staff. The move comes after disappointing review scores and sales numbers for the VR launch ofHitman 3, leaving XR Games to make drastic changes to its structuring and budget.
A slew of AAA game studios from Embracer Group, Sony, and Bungie toMicrosoft announced major layoffsin 2023 and 2024, and many smaller companies have faced similar struggles that resulted in massive workforce reductions, game cancelations, and corporate shutdowns. Unfortunately for staff at XR Games, theHitman 3 VR: Reloadeddeveloper is the latest to face unfortunate changes in these tumultuous times.
As reported byEurogamer, XR Games CEO Bobby Thandi has confirmed that the studio is moving forward with massive layoffs after “many months” of “exploring alternative solutions.” Discussions surrounding the layoffs first popped up after a now-former employee posted on LinkedIn that 72 of the company’s 84 staff members, or 86% of its workforce, had received redundancy notices. Those affected are alleged to range from programmers and game designers to members of the production and project management teams. While Thandi did not confirm the exact number or departments of staff affected, he did clarify that XR Games is still planning to release its in-development VR titlesZombie Army VRandStarship Troopers: Continuum. A number ofvirtual reality video gameshave struggled to meet audience expectations in recent months, though the scope ofHitman 3 VR: Reloaded’s struggles has come as a shock to many.
XR Games Laying Off 86% of Staff
In spite of mostly mixed responses from critics and players, many hoped thatHitman 3 VR: Reloadedwould receive bug fixes and updates to improve upon feedback, though it would seem that may no longer be a possibility. With XR Games looking to move forward with the launch of its remaining titles, some fans have voiced skepticism over whether the remaining staff will be able to finishZombie Army VRandStarship Troopers: Continuumto a higher degree of quality compared to theVR edition ofHitman 3. Both of XR Games' remaining titles are set to release this year, though it remains to be seen if the impact of the layoffs will be felt by players.
The video game industry continues to face uncertain times, with some studios likeFromSoftware looking to raise salariesand others stuck making tough decisions to cut staff, sometimes en masse. Interested players may want to stay tuned for any updates on the future ofXR Gamesand its current VR projects.
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