Supermassive Games, the studio behind The Dark Pictures Anthology and Little Nightmares 3, has announced that it is beginning a mass layoff process that could affect up to 36 employees in the studio, which accounts for roughly 10% of the total workforce. The move comes as the studio restructures in response to ongoing challenges across the games industry and the rising costs of developing games.
In a statement, the company acknowledged the difficulty of the decision and emphasized that the layoffs were not taken lightly. “We know this will be an incredibly difficult time for everyone,” the studio said. “Our absolute priority will be to offer full support to all those affected.”
The last time this happened was when the company fired over 30% of its employees in February 2024, and it clearly needed more cost-cutting even now.
The announcement also included an update on the status of the upcoming Directive 8020, Supermassive’s next major title. Originally expected sooner, the game has now been pushed to the first half of 2026. The studio noted that the additional development time will help ensure the final product meets expectations, adding that early feedback on the game has been positive.
Despite the layoffs and the delay, Supermassive confirmed that Little Nightmares 3, which the studio is co-developing, remains unaffected and is still on track. And considering how close its release is, that is great news for fans of the series.
The layoffs at Supermassive come amid a wave of job cuts across the gaming industry, which has seen numerous developers and publishers downsize teams throughout the past couple of years.
Fans awaiting Directive 8020 will need to wait a bit longer, but as long as it is a strong experience whenever it does come out, the delay should be worth it. As for the affected staff, the company promised ongoing support during the consultation process.
