Payload Studios, the creator of TerraTech, has announced another round of layoffs, with at least eight developers reportedly affected, including one of the studio’s co-founders. This wave of cuts comes just months after Payload reduced a quarter of its workforce in response to industry challenges, and CEO Russell Clarke has attributed the layoffs to a project cancellation that occurred “out of the blue.”
A Difficult Period for Payload Studios
According to sources, those affected by this recent layoff were informed a month in advance, but redundancy pay was not provided. Clarke noted that further specifics regarding notice periods and redundancy payments are still being finalized, as the studio grapples with ongoing industry difficulties. He emphasized that Payload Studios, as a small studio, faces survival challenges and aims to support its remaining staff as much as possible in these turbulent times.
The Industry at Large
The layoffs at Payload Studios are part of a troubling trend across the gaming industry. Over the past two years, numerous studios have undergone workforce reductions, often on a large scale, as developers and publishers respond to shifting market dynamics, project cancellations, and increased financial pressure.
Payload’s situation highlights the strain on smaller studios, which often face harder decisions in response to canceled projects. Despite these difficulties, Clarke assures that the studio will continue to prioritize its team’s welfare.
