Key information
Xbox revealed plans last month to shutter Hellblade developer Ninja Theory following the failure of two rescue agreements. Following this announcement, studio employees have taken to LinkedIn to share farewell messages as widespread layoffs take effect across the company. Journalist Chris Kerr first spotted these employee posts online.
Gameplay programmer Katrin Mair expressed profound sadness over not being able to complete unreleased projects after four years at the company. Technical director Loong-Wei Ding urged other gaming companies to hire his former studio peers, while expert technical sound designer Alessio Mellina and performance capture specialist Xoe Suvari were also affected by the reductions.
Mellina spent twelve years creating dynamic audio systems and the binaural audio featured in Hellblade. Suvari reflected on managing numerous shoot days, building a top-tier performance capture stage, and developing new production pipelines during his tenure with the developer.
Microsoft previously showcased a trailer for Senua, the third Hellblade title, during an Xbox Games Showcase event. Reports speculate this trailer aimed to attract prospective buyers for the studio even though Microsoft purportedly lacked publishing intentions for the project. Xbox Chief Content Officer Matt Booty noted that ongoing corporate restructures indicate additional job reductions may occur in coming months.
