Funcom, the Tencent-owned firm behind the survival MMO Dune: Awakening, is making some main modifications, together with shedding employees and shutting down Steel: Hellsinger developer The Outsiders.
Dune: Awakening had a promising launch, promoting 1,000,000 copies and turning into the corporate’s “quickest promoting sport ever” less than two weeks after its June launch. And in a statement about the layoffs shared with GamesIndustry.biz, Funcom stated Dune: Awakening was “the largest launch we’ve had in our 32-year lengthy historical past of constructing nice video games” and “has already proven unimaginable potential.”
Nevertheless, “the transition from growth to long-term dwell operation, whereas additionally constructing in the direction of a significant console launch subsequent 12 months, would require us to restructure our groups and focus our assets from throughout tasks and studios,” Funcom stated. “Sadly, this additionally means having to say goodbye to cherished colleagues.” The corporate “can not but decide the precise affect.”
The restructuring seems to have impacted The Outsiders. David Goldfarb, founder and studio inventive director at The Outsiders, stated on Bluesky that “all of us” on the studio have been affected by the layoffs, which means that “our 10 12 months previous studio can be closing.” The staff goes to “attempt to proceed on in some new type,” he stated. “Change is at all times robust and proper now we’re all hurting.”
Funcom didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.