Layoffs happened at Cloud Imperium Games, the developer behind Star Citizen game. Among those let go are high-profile employees who have been with the studio for over 8 years. Posts from employees who were impacted started showing up on social media a week ago.
“As part of our normal processes, we regularly look for ways to make our operations more efficient, which can include restructuring in order to place a position closer to the team it supports,” said the company in a statement sent to VGC confirming the layoffs.
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“Now that we are back in office and seeing the progress and quality of work when our teams are in-person working together, we have decided to co-locate as much development as possible, which has resulted in some minor staffing changes as we move some development positions closer to their core teams. As a result of this consolidation, a small number of positions were eliminated and we continue to recruit for key roles within the company.”
Cloud Imperium Games describes itself as “a new kind of independent studio” committed to the creation and “delivery of AAA experiences outside the established publisher system”. The company was founded by Chris Roberts, the creator of Wing Commander.
“Cloud Imperium aims to pave new ground in game development by sharing the process with the players,” the studio wrote on their LinkedIn profile. The company has its headquarters in Los Angeles, California but also has studios in Austin, Texas; Manchester, UK; and Frankfurt Germany.
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Their LinkedIn profile also shows that they have between 501 to 1,000 employees. Star Citizen launched in late 2012 as a Kickstarter campaign and went on to raise $2.1 million. In the years that followed, the game has remained in an ‘alpha’ state but continues to generate revenue through crowdfunding. It has garnered over $500 million to date.
Ex-Cloud Imperium Games employees have aired their views on the layoffs
The restructuring at Cloud Imperium Games seems to have commenced since January, and some employees lost their jobs at that time too. The earliest post of job loss at Cloud Imperium Games was made by level designer Dane Kubicka.
“I’m sad to say that I’ve been laid off from my position as Level Designer at Cloud Imperium Games due to restructuring,” wrote Kubicka in January. “I will really miss working alongside some truly amazing people. The challenges and accomplishments that we experienced together will not be forgotten.”
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In the most recent wave of layoffs that happened in the company about a week ago, QA manager Vincent Sinatra who has been with Cloud Imperium Games since October 2015 was affected. “You’ve heard it all before, and I hate to add more to it when it seems like my socials are bursting at the seams with such sentiments…” Sinatra wrote on LinkedIn.
Star Citizen game director Todd Papy, Lead quality assurance specialist Adam Williams, and producer Annie Bouffard have all updated their profile with the infamous #OpenToWork green badge, indicating something must have happened with their position at Cloud Imperium Games. However, neither of the three made any post about the layoff.
Lead producer Jake Ross wrote a long message talking about why he spent 10 years at Cloud Imperium Games in an industry where it was hard to see such longevity. According to him, the people and the project were the reason why he stayed back this long.
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“After 10 years, my time at Cloud Imperium Games is coming to a close,” Ross wrote on LinkedIn. “I wouldn’t trade the experience I’ve had here at CIG for anything. The challenges were great, but the rewards and opportunities were even greater. I directly contributed to and/or was an active driver for over 25 major live releases for Star Citizen, and that experience has been invaluable and will forever shape my career.”
What do you think is the main driving force behind the growing number of layoffs in the video game industry? Share your thoughts in the comment box below.
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