Frostpunk developer 11 Bit Studios has laid off an unknown selection of body of workers following the cancellation of its console sport codenamed Challenge 8.
Challenge 8 kicked off in 2018 and no less than 37 public have been operating on it by means of the tip of September 2024. The studio has invested “more than” 48.4m PLN within the sport over that month, the similar of round £9.4m or $11.8m.
Then again, the studio mentioned in a statement that even supposing it accomplished “noticeable quality improvements in certain areas”, “several critical aspects of the game and its development process remained problematic despite multiple iterations”. This led to delays, and “with each milestone”, the mission’s finances grew.
The verdict to close it unwell in any case got here then 11 Bit reviewed Challenge 8’s advance and located “unresolved issues and challenges that would require further extensions of the production timeline and corresponding budget increases to address. This, coupled with revised sales forecasts, largely reflecting the changing market environment, raised significant doubts about the project’s overall profitability”.
This intended control misplaced self belief within the mission and its “quality level”, to bring about the termination.
“Our vision for Project 8, which was intended to be our first title designed specifically for console gamers, was bold and exciting,” mentioned Przemysław Marszał, president of the control board of eleven Bit studios. “Then again, it was once conceived beneath very other marketplace statuses, when narrative-driven, story-rich video games held more potent attraction.
“With Project 8, we experienced both breakthroughs and setbacks. During the COVID-19 pandemic, stabilising the development team proved particularly difficult, yet progress continued. While we achieved noticeable quality improvements in certain areas, several critical aspects of the game and its development process remained problematic despite multiple iterations. Over time, delays accumulated, and with each milestone, the project’s budget grew.”
Despite the fact that “more than half” of the wave Challenge 8 workforce were reassigned to alternative inside initiatives, Challenge 8’s closure would lead to a “reduction of staff involved in its development” with the ones impacted receiving unspecified severance applications and “psychological counselling and assistance in finding new employment”.
The studio mentioned it was once nonetheless constancy to “several key projects”, together with Frostpunk 2 and The Alters.
The selection of sport builders impacted by means of task losses in 2024 unloved now stands at round 14,600 people.