Key information
Ninja Theory is undergoing a new wave of layoffs, as multiple employees announced on LinkedIn that they are no longer with the studio known for the Hellblade titles. This follows previous reports regarding the studio's uncertain future during a past Xbox restructuring, during which Microsoft nearly closed the sale of the company twice before those deals fell through.
Chris Kerr initially highlighted on BlueSky that various staff members have reported losing their jobs across different departments. The departures include technical sound designer Alessio Mellina, gameplay programmer Katrin Mair, technical director Loong-Wei Ding, senior technical artist Matt Le-Fevre, and character artist Pietro Berto.
Katrin Mair shared a discouraging message on LinkedIn, expressing sadness that the team will not be able to finish their current project into which much care, talent, and effort had been invested. While Mair did not explicitly name the project, the studio previously announced a new installment titled Senua during the Xbox Games Showcase in June 2026.
Shortly after the June 2026 showcase, Microsoft announced a restructuring that included layoffs affecting hundreds of workers and the separation of Ninja Theory from Xbox Game Studios alongside four other developers. Although the team originally had two potential sale agreements that could have saved the company and allowed them to continue the project, both deals ultimately fell through, leaving Ninja Theory in a vulnerable state.
