Skydance lays off game developers after Warner Bros. merger

Skydance Interactive was founded in 2016 to create virtual reality games, including 2024. Monstera VR action-adventure with shades of The Legend of Zelda And Shadow of the Colossus. The video games division is now laying off numerous developers, just one month after its parent company merged with Warner Bros.

Skydance Interactive and Skydance New Media both merged over the summer to form a new entity called Paramount Games. The game portfolio consisted of licensed collaborations like TMNT: The Last Ronin And Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game as well as a brand new “dark academia” RPG which was still not announced.

“Game announcements are always exciting, especially when it involves a brand new original license,” Deputy Design Director David Ballard wrote at the time. “I’m super excited to build this world from the ground up with the team! »

Just four months later, he and many others were laid off as part of ongoing restructuring following David Ellison’s merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. “My chapter with Skydance and Paramount ended today with termination. I am very grateful for the opportunities afforded to me over the nearly 4.5 years,” Ballard wrote over the weekend. “It’s a sad day for many of my colleagues who were also affected.”

Many other laid-off employees also shared the news on LinkedIn. “In this tumultuous climate, it’s difficult to find great talent and collaborators to help you build your next team and your next game,” wrote lead engineer David Vera, who himself was not affected. “The Skydance team was not fired due to problematic performance or behavior. They are all extremely deserving people who pushed themselves to the limit to try to create something they could all be proud of.”

He mentioned the names of more than 27 people in his message, and Insider games reports that at least 30 people at Paramount Games were affected. It’s unclear if anyone on the Warner Bros. side. has also been removed, nor what it will mean for the company’s existing projects. “Games are no longer an extension of the company; they are a critical driver of Paramount’s storytelling, community and growth,” said Tony Driscoll, vice president of Skydance. Variety back in June. He now also oversees Warner Bros. Games.

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