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Outriders studio People Can Fly is laying off Project Gemini developers

"To those individuals transitioning out of the studio due to these changes, we extend our sincere appreciation for the skills and expertise you brought to the team."

Chris Kerr, News Editor

January 25, 2024

2 Min Read
Key artwork for Outriders
Image via People Can Fly

Outriders and Bulletstorm VR developer People Can Fly has laid off over 30 people.

Kotaku broke the news after speaking with a source familiar with the matter. People Can Fly has since confirmed a number of cuts have taken place, but didn't specify how many people were impacted.

The Polish studio is laying off developers working on an unannounced title codenamed Project Gemini, which is being published by Square Enix.

In an email seen by Kotaku, People Can Fly development director Adam Alker broke the news to staff and attributed the layoffs to budget limitations and the need to rescope.

"We understand that this decision impacts each of you, and we want to express our gratitude for your hard work, dedication, and contributions thus far," reads the email.

"To those individuals transitioning out of the studio due to these changes, we extend our sincere appreciation for the skills and expertise you brought to the team. We will keep our fingers crossed for your next steps in game dev and offer all our support."

Laid off employees located in Poland will reportedly be able to continue working during a three-month transition period. Those based elsewhere have until the end the of the week.

People Can Fly has multiple offices in Poland, Canada, Ireland, the United States, and the UK. The studio was formed in 2002 and is working on numerous titles including Gemini, Maverick, Bifrost, Victoria, and Dagger. Some of those projects are being published by major players like Square Enix and Microsoft, but the company is also exploring the world of self-publishing with Bulletstorm VR, Green Hell VR, and Project Red.

People Can Fly isn't the first studio to enact layoffs in 2024. Since the turn of the year, companies including Unity, Embracer, 2K Games, Netmarble, CI Games, Playtika, Thunderful and more have collectively made thousands of workers redundant.

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About the Author(s)

Chris Kerr

News Editor, GameDeveloper.com

Game Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.

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