Season developer Scavengers lays off half its staff in studio downsize
Due to game underperforming.
Scavengers Studio, the developer behind Season, has laid off over half its staff as it seeks to downsize.
Only 16 employees remain, due to Season performing lower than expected commercially.
News of the layoffs surfaced earlier this month, but GamesIndustry.biz has since received the all-staff announcement from CEO Amélie Lamarche in full.
"While Season received critical acclaim, it did not meet our commercial expectations," the announcement read. "Despite our efforts to boost sales through content updates and discounts, the game only sold 60,000 copies during its first five months, which falls far short of what the studio needs to survive.
"Given the current global economic context and Season's financial results, we have been left with no choice but to make the difficult decision of downsizing the studio to a smaller, sustainable group of game developers. Unfortunately, this means parting ways with all but approximately 16 members of the Scavengers Studio team."
Lamarche announced that financial and psychological support would be given to all staff affected, as well as health coverage benefits and assistance in finding new jobs within Montreal.
There's more to come from Scavengers too, as she added the studio will be "announcing a new endeavour that aims to create gameplay-driven games that bring people together", and to "build a game that embodies the same spirit of innovation, humour, and exhilarating fun that the Darwin Project offered".
"Please remember that our decision to downsize is not a reflection of the talent, dedication, or contributions of each and every one of you," Lamarche concluded.
Season did receive positive reception from its release in January this year.
"You'll learn not only about what's important to Estelle, the people of this season, and the people that have come before them, but also what's important to you in your season, too," Eurogamer's review of Season explained. "Every day of being you has led you to this very place; every choice, every decision, every bereavement, every mistake. When all that's left is you, a journal, and a handful of random keepsakes, what memories would you fight to keep alive?"