Do not Nod has reportedly laid off an undisclosed variety of builders from its Montreal workplace. The layoffs haven’t been formally introduced however have been revealed in posts made by a number of impacted workers on LinkedIn.
“At this time, I used to be a part of the layoff wave at Do not Nod Montréal,” principal cinematic artist Mary Pouliot wrote. “Though I used to be anticipating this dread fatality that’s now a behavior within the business, it got here to me as an actual shock. I didn’t anticipate that this morning when waking up and going to the studio. However there it’s. No cinematic artist anymore at DNM.”
“The omnipresent waves of layoffs in our business lastly acquired to us after the discharge of Bloom and Rage,” technical artist Laurent Dufresne wrote in a separate submit. “Sadly whereas we managed what seems like a miracle given circumstances, it did not look like sufficient to maintain our comparatively small crew complete and a non-insignificant chunk of it was misplaced as we speak.”
Lead QA and senior tester Sandra Cormier and senior sport and degree designer Mathieu Tremblay have been additionally a part of the cuts.
“These previous 3 years, I’ve realized lots as a Lead QA but additionally as part of an exquisite QA crew,” Cormier wrote. “I’ll by no means cease saying how a lot I’m pleased with my colleagues.” Tremblay echoed that sentiment, saying he’s “extremely pleased with what the crew at Do not Nod Montreal achieved with Misplaced Data: Bloom and Rage,” and that “transport the sport with this degree of high quality was nothing wanting a miracle within the circumstances.”
The reported layoffs come lower than a yr after Do not Nod stated it was “quickly pausing” work on two in-development video games as a result of its then-recent releases Jusant and Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden “carried out effectively beneath expectations” regardless of having fun with “a superb crucial reception.” Jusant, which Do not Nod Montreal contributed to, is the standout, a “chic” fantasy mountain climbing sport that scored 89% in our 2003 evaluate, however Banishers earned plaudits in addition to a ghost story “stretched a bit of skinny, however nonetheless effectively value exploring.”
Misplaced Data: Bloom & Rage was additionally effectively obtained, though reviewer Autumn Wright famous that the second, concluding chapter was weaker than the primary (which, to be clear, was excellent): Shorter, buggier, and rushed, however nonetheless delivering a “sturdy narrative conclusion [that] is value seeing.”
Whereas Do not Nod itself hasn’t commented on the layoffs, the French videogame staff union Syndicat des Travailleureuses du Jeu Vidéo stated 9 workers at Do not Nod Montreal have been let go, and one other seven have been given a “momentary suspension,” with the intention to “cut back prices throughout the group.” The union has beforehand criticized the “catastrophic choices” of administration at Do not Nod, and in October 2024 denounced a plan to put off workers on the firm’s Paris studio.
STJV repeated these criticisms in messages posted to Bluesky, and known as for additional unionization of videogame staff in North America.
🇬🇧 Don’t Nod Montréal: now we have been knowledgeable of the lay-offs of 9 colleagues and the “momentary suspension” of seven others with the intention to “cut back prices throughout the group”. We assist the colleagues affected. The STJV strongly condemns Oskar Guilbert’s catastrophic administration of the corporate.
— @stjv.fr (@stjv.fr.bsky.social) 2025-06-26T21:51:26.785Z
“In France, the union combat succeeded in drastically limiting the variety of layoffs and in acquiring acceptable departure circumstances,” the union wrote. “We encourage and assist our comrades and colleagues who’re organising the business throughout the Atlantic! Direct motion will get the products.”
I’ve reached out to Do not Nod for remark and can replace if I obtain a reply.
