Staff at Ninja Theory have revealed that the studio has started the process of laying off workers, with some having already lost their jobs or are facing layoffs following Microsoft’s second wave of cuts last month.
The Hellblade creator was named as one of the studios affected by the first round of Xbox cuts in July, but was expected to be sold off to a new owner. Unfortunately, Matt Booty, Chief Content Officer for Xbox, revealed in September that “two separate agreements for Ninja Theory fell through,” and as such the studio is now likely to be closed.
In wake of Booty’s announcement, staff including Alessio Mellina, Katrin Mair, Xoe Subari, Loong-Wei Ding, Matteo Tummino, Matt Le-Fevre, Pietro Berto, Justin Pedersen, and Danielle Galante, have been named as those who have either been laid off or their jobs are now at risk.
Katrin Mair, who served as gameplay programmer, commented on LinkedIn, “After four years, it’s hard to put into words how much this place and the people in it have meant to me. I’ve learned an incredible amount, grown so much as a programmer, and had the chance to work with some genuinely brilliant people.”
What I’ll remember most is how much people cared. About the work, about the details, and about each other. I feel very lucky that this was the place where I got to start my career and grow into the programmer I am today. It’s incredibly sad knowing that we won’t get to finish what we were working on. So much care, talent and effort went into it, and I really wish we’d had the chance to see what it could have become.
What isn’t known at this point is what will happen to the third instalment in the Hellblade series, Senua, which was only announced in June 2026 during the Xbox Game Showcase. Ninja Theory stated at the time the game was set to launch in 2027.
[Source – VGC]