Supermassive Games has initiated a formal redundancy consultation process that could eliminate up to 75 positions, marking the studio’s third major round of staff cutbacks in three years. The Guildford-based developer behind the original 2015 horror hit Until Dawn and The Dark Pictures anthology announced the decision on social media, framing the move as a necessary step to maintain long-term business viability while promising support for affected personnel.
The restructuring comes just three months after the release of Directive 8020, the fifth main entry in The Dark Pictures series. The title experienced notable delays, sliding from an October 2025 target to May 2026 before receiving mixed critical reviews upon launch. Ever since Nordisk Games acquired full ownership in 2022, Supermassive has repeatedly trimmed its headcount, previously letting go of 90 employees in early 2024 before undergoing another restructuring in 2025 that affected 36 roles.
Executive shifts have further complicated matters at the studio over recent months. Former chief executive officer Robert Henrysson departed his post just one month following the debut of Directive 8020, leading Nordisk Games to appoint Graeme Law as interim CEO. Meanwhile, control over the studio’s breakout franchise has shifted away from the developer entirely. Sony revealed during its June State of Play showcase that Until Dawn 2 is officially in development at PlayStation Studios subsidiary Firesprite Games for a 2027 release on PlayStation 5.
Supermassive’s ongoing downsizing reflects a broader pattern of instability across the video game industry. Major publishers continue to cut development teams to manage rising production budgets, as demonstrated in July when Microsoft conducted widespread layoffs that removed nearly half the staff at id Software. As studios face pressure to maintain efficiency amid unpredictable commercial outcomes, Supermassive joins a growing list of established developers forced to shrink operations to stay afloat.
