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3 months after the release of Directive 8020, Supermassive Games is laying off even more people
Supermassive Games, the British studio behind The Dark Pictures Anthology and horror title Directive 8020, is cutting more jobs, just three months after Directive 8020 launched. The layoffs mark another blow for the developer, which has already gone through previous rounds of job cuts, and reflect the wider instability continuing to hit the games industry despite the release of new titles.
The exact number of staff affected has not been confirmed in detail, but the cuts follow a pattern of repeated downsizing at the studio even as it continues to release games. The move underscores how a title's release no longer guarantees job security for developers, with Supermassive joining a long list of studios trimming headcount in 2025-2026 amid ongoing industry-wide financial pressures.
In short
- Supermassive Games is laying off staff again, months after Directive 8020's release.
- The cuts follow earlier rounds of layoffs at the studio.
- Highlights ongoing job instability across the games industry.
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The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Companies face genuine financial pressures and must align staffing with actual revenue performance. When a game's commercial results don't justify maintaining a full workforce, layoffs become a necessary business decision to ensure the studio's long-term survival and the security of remaining jobs. The gaming industry is highly competitive and cyclical; studios that fail to adjust may collapse entirely, harming all employees.
The case against
The pattern of layoffs despite releasing new titles suggests a fundamental problem with industry labour practices rather than any single game's performance. Workers who invested their talent in shipping a title deserve better security than immediate redundancy. This reflects an unsustainable business model that prioritises short-term returns over worker wellbeing and the creative stability necessary to sustain a healthy industry long-term.
Explained simply
Supermassive Games is a British video game studio known for horror games, including The Dark Pictures Anthology and Directive 8020. A studio’s staff can include people who design, write and build games, as well as those who support their release.
The games industry has faced repeated job cuts in recent years, and some studios have reduced their workforces more than once. These cuts matter to the people affected and can also shape how studios plan and make future games.