Virtuos, the Game Development Powerhouse, Announces Layoffs

Sure, here it goes:

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So, here’s the thing — Virtuos is letting people go. A co-dev giant doing layoffs, and I’m like, “Why does this feel so familiar?” Anyway, this news got out thanks to Gauthier Andres, that French journalist, on BlueSky. He mentioned about seven percent of jobs there being axed. Do the math — it’s around 300 folks.

Now, Virtuos confirmed it, saying they’re cutting down in Asia by about 200. Europe? Another 70. Oh, and in France, fewer than ten jobs. That number is oddly specific, isn’t it?

They say it’s to match the ever-changing whims of their partners and, well, the gaming world in general. I get it, games are like, super complicated now. So, they’re reorganizing to focus more on all that high-value co-dev stuff. Full game engineering, super fancy art, creative content — you name it, they’re on it.

The people losing jobs aren’t just being left in the lurch. They’re promised some separation pay, help with job hunting, and maybe a shot at another gig somewhere else in their massive setup. It’s not much, but hey.

You might know Virtuos for jazzing up “The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered” earlier this year. They’re also behind the new “Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater” — which, I’m personally stoked for. Plus, they’ve got fingerprints on stuff like “Dune: Awakening,” “Cyberpunk 2077,” and “Sea of Thieves.”

Seems like every other day there’s another wave of layoffs. Microsoft just hit their fourth round in the past year and a half. It’s a rough time out there, isn’t it?