Crytek, the studio behind the iconic Crysis series and the popular Hunt: Showdown, has announced a difficult decision: laying off approximately 60 employees, representing 15% of its 400-person workforce. This restructuring, affecting development teams and shared services, comes despite the continued growth of Hunt: Showdown.
In a statement from founder Avni Yerli, Crytek cited challenging market conditions as the primary reason for the layoffs. Following the decision to put Crysis 4 on hold in Q3 2024 and a subsequent effort to transition staff to Hunt: Showdown, cost-cutting measures proved insufficient to ensure long-term financial sustainability. Crytek assures affected employees will receive severance packages and career assistance.
Yerli emphasized Crytek's commitment to the future, highlighting Hunt: Showdown's continued success and the ongoing development of its CRYENGINE technology. The company plans to continue expanding and updating Hunt: Showdown with new content.
The news follows the previously unannounced cancellation of a battle royale-inspired Crysis project, codenamed Crysis Next, which was scrapped in favor of Crysis 4, announced in January 2022. The Crysis franchise, renowned for its visually stunning graphics and innovative nanosuit mechanics, has a significant legacy in the gaming world, famously serving as a benchmark for PC hardware capabilities for years following the release of the original game in 2007. While Crysis 3 launched in 2013, and remasters of earlier titles have been released, details on Crysis 4 have been scarce since its initial announcement.
