Supermassive Games Announces Layoffs, Delays Directive 8020 to 2026

Supermassive Games Announces Layoffs, Delays Directive 8020 to 2026

From The Outerhaven Productions (Written by Keith Mitchell) on | OpenCritic

Supermassive Games, the studio behind narrative hits such as Until Dawn and The Dark Pictures Anthology, has announced a challenging round of redundancies as part of a company-wide restructuring.

In a statement released today, the developer confirmed that it has begun a redundancy consultation process, which could result in the loss of up to 36 employees. The studio says the move is part of adapting to the ongoing changes and challenges in the gaming industry.

Despite the shakeup, Supermassive Games remains committed to its ongoing projects. One of those, Directive 8020, has now been delayed to the first half of 2026. The studio cited strong fan feedback and the need for additional polish as the reasons behind the new release window.

In more positive news, Supermassive confirmed that Little Nightmares III, which the team is co-developing with Bandai Namco, will not be impacted by the restructure and remains on track.

This announcement marks yet another entry in a troubling trend across the industry, as studios large and small continue to feel the pressure of developing games in today’s rapidly shifting market. Rising production costs, tighter budgets, and increasing expectations have compelled even the most established companies to make...