Inflexion Undergoes Restructuring, Resulting in Significant Staff Reduction

In a recent development, multiple sources have informed GamesIndustry.biz that the restructuring efforts at Inflexion have led to the redundancy of more than 50 staff members. As a result, the company was required to notify the Canadian government. The current employee count stands at approximately 58, excluding support staff, with the layoffs affecting various teams, including quality assurance, concept art, and narrative. Some teams have allegedly been entirely eliminated. Furthermore, sources claim that Inflexion has withheld full severance pay from laid-off staff unless they agree to a non-disparagement clause. When approached for comment, a company spokesperson provided a statement: "Our affected team members have received the notice they are entitled to based on their individual employment agreements. Additional compensation was also offered to all those individuals. As is common practice in Canada, this additional compensation comes with some standard requirements, which include agreeing to maintain confidentiality and returning company equipment. This is an unfortunate situation for any company to be facing and is a sad and stressful time for everyone involved. To further support impacted team members, all affected employees will continue to receive their healthcare benefits through the end of November, and we have proactively enrolled all those involved in an employee assistance program to offer further support to them through this difficult time." In an update, a recent LinkedIn post clarified that Inflexion has laid off 65 employees over the last month. Initially, on October 30, 2024, it was reported that Nightingale developer Inflexion Games was undergoing a restructuring, resulting in the departure of dozens of employees. In a statement, the company acknowledged the significant transition the industry is undergoing and its impact on the studio. GamesIndustry.biz understands that Nightingale's Early Access did not achieve the desired commercial success, prompting the need for restructuring. The company stated, "After exploring numerous options, we made the difficult decision to restructure our studio to ensure our long-term sustainability. Sadly this means saying goodbye to a number of incredibly talented and dedicated team members. Our focus throughout this process has been to handle it with compassion, respect, and care for every individual affected. We are doing everything we can to help them navigate this period and find new opportunities." An anonymous staff member revealed that internal communications suggested at least 22 employees could be impacted by the layoffs. This news follows the closure of Inflexion's UK division. Founded by former BioWare general manager Aaryn Flynn in 2018 as part of Improbable, the Edmonton-based developer was acquired by Tencent in 2022. Flynn had previously stated that, since the acquisition, the company had been supportive, recognizing Inflexion's desire to succeed with Nightingale and grow from there.