Crytek Announces Layoffs Affecting 15% of its Workforce
Game developer Crytek has announced a difficult decision to lay off approximately 60 employees, representing 15% of its 400-person staff. The layoffs, affecting both development and support teams, come despite the continued growth of Hunt: Showdown.
In a statement released by founder Avni Yerli, Crytek cited challenging market conditions and the need for financial sustainability as the primary reasons for the restructuring. Following the postponement of Crysis 4 in Q3 2024 and efforts to consolidate resources around Hunt: Showdown, cost-cutting measures proved insufficient to prevent layoffs. Crytek is providing severance packages and career support to affected employees.
Yerli emphasized Crytek's continued commitment to Hunt: Showdown, highlighting its strong performance as a key element of the company's future. The company also plans to continue development and support for its CRYENGINE.
The news follows the previously unannounced cancellation of a battle royale-inspired Crysis project, codenamed Crysis Next. This project, which surfaced briefly online via leaked gameplay footage, was ultimately scrapped in favor of Crysis 4, announced in January 2022. Since then, updates on Crysis 4 have been scarce.
The Crysis franchise, known for its visually stunning graphics and demanding system requirements, has a significant following. The original Crysis, released in 2007, became a PC benchmark, famously spawning the phrase "But can it run Crysis?" The last mainline entry, Crysis 3, was released in 2013, with remasters of earlier titles released in recent years. The future of Crysis 4 remains uncertain following this latest development at Crytek.
