Take-Two Interactive, the company behind GTA developer Rockstar Games, is reportedly shutting down Kerbal Space Program 2 developer Intercept Games and Roll7, the studio behind Rollerdrome and OlliOlli World.
According to Bloomberg, these closures are part of a large-scale layoff at the company. Take-Two plans to lay off more than 500 people by the end of 2024 and cancel some projects in development. This plan was disclosed in an SEC filing last year. moon. Previously, Take-Two recently acquired Borderlands developer Gearbox Software for $460 million.
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Based in Seattle and London respectively, Intercept and Roll7 are both part of Take-Two’s indie publishing label Private Division, which has produced some pretty cool stuff since its inception, as indie publishing brands often do. Those affected will receive severance packages, according to a note from Roll7 to employees.
When reports of Intercept’s closure began circulating due to a notice filed with the Washington State Employment Security Department, a Take-Two spokesperson issued the following statement to GamesIndustry.biz. “exist [April 16]Take-Two has announced a cost-cutting plan to increase efficiencies across the business and improve the company’s profit margins while still investing for growth. As part of these efforts, the company is rationalizing its pipeline and eliminating multiple projects and is evolving and streamlining its organizational structure, which will eliminate headcount and reduce future hiring needs. “
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There was a lot of reaction to the news from those in the gaming industry, including former employees of the studio. After clarifying to People that she left Roll7 long before it closed, design consultant Anisa Sanusi tweeted: “The team at Roll7 are some of the best I’ve ever worked with and they deserve better than this treatment.” Added: “We won a BAFTA a year ago. It’s such a stupid industry.”
Meanwhile, Michael Douse, publishing director of Baldur’s Gate 3 developer Larian, said: Post in response to news: “Large enterprise cycles just ramble on about people, culture, human factors, teamwork, and pride. Then, when operations fail, [to] Large-scale layoffs, the human element has been deliberately abandoned. The mask peeled off. The company doesn’t care about you. “
“The idea that this period paves the way for a brighter future couldn’t be further from the truth. In one financial year, the performative carnage may look positive, but damn, we’ll see a ripple effect in the market, This market is already too unpredictable to keep up with,” he added.
