League of Geeks: Fighting to the End

The Australian game development studio League of Geeks has announced that it will be laying off 50% of its workforce, citing a significant funding gap. The entire team behind Jumplight Odyssey, which was released in Early Access in August, has been made redundant, and the game has been put on indefinite hiatus. A total of 31 people were laid off, including the Jumplight team, operations and publishing staff, and contractors. However, the support for Armello and the release of Solium Infernum, scheduled for February, will not be affected by the layoffs. In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, studio director Trent Kusters acknowledged the responsibility of the executive team for the situation and expressed his commitment to supporting the affected team members. The studio will provide full benefits, access to a therapist, and assistance in finding new jobs. Additionally, 50% of Jumplight Odyssey's profits for the next year will go to the laid-off team members. Kusters explained that the decision to lay off staff was made after the studio failed to secure funding from two major investors, despite having a decade-long relationship with them. The studio is now focusing on securing funding for Solium Infernum and is hopeful that the newly adopted digital games tax offset in Australia will help the studio recover. The studio director emphasized that the team will "fight till the last breath" to save the studio and its projects, and is cautiously optimistic about the future, despite the challenges faced by the industry.