Schell Games, the development studio best known for co‑creating the three‑dimensional version of the wildly popular game Among Us and for producing the critically acclaimed I Expect You To Die series, has recently been forced to cut staff positions. The news emerged after several employees took to LinkedIn to share their personal experiences and confirm that the company began laying off workers as early as last Friday. The information first surfaced in a report by Game Developer, which highlighted a series of LinkedIn posts from current and former Schell Games staff members.
One of the most prominent voices was the studio’s principal engineering manager, who posted that the company had carried out its "first ever layoffs" on that day. The manager emphasized that the decision was not a reflection of any employee’s performance or conduct, stating, "This has happened not because of anything you did or did not do. Our industry (and beyond) right now is hemorrhaging." The impact of the layoffs was further confirmed by Dwayne Waite Jr., the studio’s marketing director.
Waite identified members of the marketing team among those let go and listed four individuals whose positions were eliminated. In addition, the senior public relations manager at Schell Games added names from the art, design, and visual effects departments, indicating that the cuts spanned multiple functional areas within the organization. Based on the publicly shared posts, it appears that a total of fourteen employees have been affected by the reductions. This figure is notable given that Schell Games’ LinkedIn profile lists the company’s headcount as ranging between 51 and 200 employees.
The relatively small size of the studio means that each layoff represents a significant proportion of the overall workforce, magnifying the emotional and operational impact on the remaining team members. One of the affected employees, the senior public relations manager, expressed a mixture of disappointment and pride in a heartfelt LinkedIn update. "I won't pretend this isn't a disappointing way to end this chapter, especially after almost six years," the manager wrote. "But I'm walking away proud of what I accomplished during my time with the company, and I'm grateful for the people I got to build with." This sentiment captures the bittersweet nature of many industry layoffs, where long‑standing dedication and camaraderie are juxtaposed against the harsh realities of business economics.
The timing of these layoffs is particularly striking because it runs counter to the public stance taken by Schell Games’ founder and chief executive officer, Jesse Schell, who has long positioned the studio as an employer that prioritizes job security. In a 2024 interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Schell articulated a philosophy that separates financial risk from the risk to employees’ livelihoods. He explained, "At the heart of it all is choosing not to put jobs at risk. We'll put cash at risk when we make a game, but we don't put jobs at risk." Schell further clarified that even if a game under the studio’s own intellectual property failed to generate revenue, the company would still strive to keep its staff employed, stating, "Even if our own IP brings in zero dollars, we still haven't put any jobs at risk – we still have a path forward where we'll be able to keep people on.
So, in a lot of ways, it's a choice." The recent cuts therefore raise questions about how the studio’s stated principles are being applied in practice, especially given the broader context of a challenging market environment. The video‑game industry has been experiencing a prolonged period of financial strain, with many publishers and developers reporting reduced revenues, delayed releases, and increased development costs. This macro‑economic pressure has led to a wave of layoffs across the sector, affecting companies of all sizes, from indie studios to major publishers.
Analysts suggest that Schell Games’ decision may have been driven by a combination of factors, including a slowdown in contract work, shifting client budgets, and the inherent volatility of the entertainment market. While the studio has a reputation for delivering high‑quality educational and immersive experiences, the financial realities of maintaining a diverse project pipeline can be unforgiving. The public reaction to the news has been mixed. Some industry observers commend the transparency of the employees who chose to share their stories, noting that such openness can foster a more honest dialogue about workplace stability.
Others express concern that the layoffs could signal deeper structural issues within the company, potentially affecting its ability to attract top talent in the future. GamesIndustry.biz has reached out to Schell Games for an official comment on the layoffs, but as of this writing, no response has been received.
The lack of a direct statement from the leadership leaves room for speculation about the company’s next steps and how it plans to navigate the ongoing challenges facing the gaming sector. In summary, Schell Games—renowned for its innovative contributions to both mainstream and educational gaming—has announced its first round of staff reductions, affecting roughly fourteen employees across engineering, marketing, art, design, and visual effects.
The layoffs come amid a broader industry downturn and appear to contradict the firm’s previously articulated commitment to safeguarding jobs. As the studio moves forward, the gaming community will be watching closely to see how Schell Games balances its financial imperatives with its professed values, and whether it can retain its reputation as a stable and creative workplace in an increasingly uncertain market.