Life is Unusual: Double Publicity developer Deck 9 has shared a message to Twitter that it has laid off an undisclosed variety of staff. Again in February, the studio let go of 20% of its workers, and the studio additionally suffered layoffs in 2023.
“Immediately, we’re unhappy to share the information that we should say goodbye to a few of our proficient crew members,” the message, attributed to Deck 9 CEO Mark Lyons, begins. “This was a particularly troublesome determination and displays the difficult instances many corporations in our trade are presently dealing with. We’re extraordinarily grateful to each particular person who has devoted their onerous work, ardour, and dedication to creating transformative leisure with us.
“To these of you leaving the studio as a consequence of these modifications, thanks for sharing your abilities with us. We’re pleased with what we have been capable of accomplish collectively and we’re dedicated to supporting you on this transition in any approach we are able to. To the group, we ask in your help and understanding throughout this troublesome time.”
Deck 9’s first spherical of layoffs this 12 months got here in February, properly earlier than the discharge of Double Publicity, and have been attributed to “worsening market circumstances.” This 12 months’s cuts additionally got here after Deck 9 let go of an estimated 30 folks again in Could 2023. Deck 9 took over stewardship of the Life is Unusual sequence from Do not Nod, producing the Earlier than the Storm prequel sport, 2022’s remastered assortment, and the follow-ups True Colours and Double Publicity.
Deck 9’s layoffs are a part of the much-discussed wider contraction within the trade, and whereas that basic disaster stays ongoing, the timing of this newest spherical of layoffs strikes me as a possible indicator of poor gross sales efficiency by Double Publicity, which got here out in October. In our evaluate, PC Gamer options producer Mollie Taylor discovered it to be an entertaining, however largely pointless sequel, writing that “Double Publicity does numerous retreading outdated narrative floor of its predecessor: useless besties, sus lecturers, secret societies, a 3rd lady whose thriller permeates the overarching story… you get it.”
