Cyan Worlds, the Spokane-based developer famous for the Myst series, has announced the layoff of half its team. Twelve employees were made redundant due to ongoing industry challenges. Industry conditions have forced us into a tricky spot where we are having to weigh the future health of our studio against the month-to-month realities of game development in 2025,” the studio said in a statement.
Throughout the past year, we have been ultra-transparent with the entire Cyan team about the choppy waters we find ourselves in, as well as the dangers ahead. While the news of a layoff was not a surprise to the team, it was (and still is) deeply saddening for all of us.”
Cyan Worlds emphasized that their priority now is to secure funding for their next project and stabilize the studio. They assured that the layoffs will not impact the timing or delivery of rewards related to their ongoing Kickstarter campaign for the upcoming title “Firmament.”
The studio has provided a list of the impacted employees who have consented to share their contact details for new opportunities.
Lead visual designer Claire Hummel took to social media to express her dismay, noting that while she was not personally affected, many talented colleagues were laid off. “I hate it.
Cyan Worlds faces tough development realities
I hate it so much,” she wrote. Cyan Worlds called for other developers to reach out to those laid off, describing the affected staff as “world-class talent.” The studio’s immediate priority is to “restabilize” and hopes to remain operational despite the ongoing challenges. It remains unclear how well Cyan Worlds’ recent games, including Firmament and the Riven remake, performed financially.
While Firmament was crowdfunded and the Riven remake received strong reviews, sustaining long-term operations has proven difficult. Despite the current hardships, Cyan Worlds continues to support its games. A recent update to its iconic game Myst demonstrates the studio’s commitment to long-term engagement, though its future projects remain uncertain.
As the games industry faces widespread layoffs, the plight of a historic indie like Cyan Worlds highlights the volatile nature of game development. Fans and industry observers alike are hoping the studio can navigate these tough times and continue to create the immersive worlds for which it is renowned.
Image Credits: Photo by Alex Kotliarskyi on Unsplash
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