New World Interactive is the latest studio to feel the weight of Embracer Group’s restructuring program. While Insider Gaming had earlier reported that the Insurgency: Sandstorm developer was shut down, it has now been confirmed by Embracer’s Saber Interactive division that the studio will not be shutting down. However, an unspecified number of roles was made redundant.
“Saber can confirm there have been restructuring changes involving our New World Interactive subsidiary,” said a spokesperson for Saber. “This reorganization has unfortunately resulted in layoffs at the studio.”
New World Interactive was acquired by Embracer through Saber Interactive in 2020. At the time of that deal, the studio had 40 employees at its Denver headquarters in the United States and 35 developers at its Calgary, Canada studio. Saber’s spokesperson highlighted some steps they are taking to assist those impacted by the restructuring at New World Interactive.
ALSO READ: See The Game Of The Year Contenders If It Was 100% Based On Audience Votes
“We are working to fill existing open roles within Saber with individuals affected by these changes wherever feasible and we will be providing severance packages to those employees impacted,” said the spokesperson.
Notwithstanding the layoffs at New World Interactive, the spokesperson for Saber said that development will continue on Insurgency: Sandstorm and other unannounced projects.
Earlier this year, Embracer failed to secure a $2 billion investment believed to be from Saudi’s Savvy Games Group. Before that announcement, Embracer had acquired several studios, popular game franchises, and IP rights to The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.
Once the deal broke down, Embracer announced a restructuring which began in June and has led to massive layoffs across Embracer-owned studios and the shutting down of others including Saints Row developer, Volition Games. In the latest earnings report, Embracer confirmed that it had parted ways with over 900 employees.
New World Interactive recently celebrated its 13th anniversary
The layoffs came at a time when New World Interactive was still basking in its 13-year celebration. According to a post published by the company, New World Interactive started in 2010 as “a small team of passionate modders” with the big dream of creating something phenomenal.
“None of this would have been possible without the support of our fantastic community and dedicated teams, past and present, and for that, we thank you,” the company wrote. “We are deeply grateful for your trust in us and the countless hours of fun and excitement we have shared.”
ALSO READ: 2 Ways To Play PS5 In Tesla Exposed
One of the landmark achievements the company also highlighted in its 13th-anniversary post was reaching 20 million mod downloads on mod.io. New World Interactive showcased two unique maps that were created by its community: Highlands and TORO.
Highlands was described as “a picturesque cold, snowy map set in a valley in the mountains”. The map has been downloaded over 364 thousand times.
“One side of the map is home to a scenic frozen lake, the other, a shanty town,” the developer explained. “Separating the spawns is a forest. This map has many game modes and supports day and night!”
Considered a bigger success is TORO which has over 820 thousand downloads, making it the most downloaded user-created map. According to New World Interactive, “Players can enjoy many game modes as they explore this alluring town fighting through the streets and buildings”. It also supports day and night.
“Thank you for being a part of our journey so far; we can’t wait to see what the future holds, so here’s to many more amazing years with New World Interactive!” the company wrote at the end of their anniversary post. However, that rosy future they envision is now being threatened by Embracer’s restructuring program.
Remember to share and bookmark this website to stay up to date on all the hottest news in the gaming industry.
