Schell Games, the studio best known for co‑creating the three‑dimensional version of the wildly popular party game Among Us and for developing the critically acclaimed I Expect You To Die series, has reportedly initiated a round of staff reductions. The news emerged after a series of LinkedIn updates from current and former employees detailed the layoffs that began late last week.
According to a report from Game Developer, several members of the Schell Games team posted about the cuts on their professional profiles, confirming that the first ever layoffs at the company took place on a Friday. One of the posts came from the studio’s principal engineering manager, who clarified that while the announcement was made, they themselves had not been dismissed. The manager wrote, "This has happened not because of anything you did or did not do.
Our industry (and beyond) right now is hemorrhaging." The message was echoed by Dwayne Waite Jr., Schell Games’ marketing director, who verified that the reductions affected the marketing department and went on to name four colleagues who were let go. In addition, the studio’s senior public‑relations manager added further details, listing several individuals from the art, design, and visual‑effects teams who were also impacted. By tallying the publicly shared names, observers estimate that roughly fourteen employees have been affected across the organization.
Schell Games’ LinkedIn page lists its workforce size as ranging between 51 and 200 employees, which suggests that the cuts represent a modest but noticeable percentage of the total staff. The senior public‑relations manager expressed a mixture of disappointment and pride in a reflective post, stating, "I won’t pretend this isn’t a disappointing way to end this chapter, especially after almost six years. 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." The layoffs are particularly striking because they run counter to the public position taken by the company’s founder and chief executive officer, Jesse Schell. In a 2024 interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Schell emphasized that Schell Games strives to separate financial risk from the risk to its employees.
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.
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." Schell’s comments reflect a broader industry conversation about sustainability, especially as the video‑game sector experiences a downturn after several years of rapid growth.
Many studios have faced similar pressures, leading to workforce reductions, studio closures, or shifts in development focus. The phrase "our industry is hemorrhaging" captures the sentiment that revenue streams are tightening, publishing schedules are being re‑evaluated, and consumer spending patterns are shifting. While Schell Games has not issued an official statement beyond the individual LinkedIn posts, GamesIndustry.biz has reached out for comment and is awaiting a response. The lack of a formal corporate announcement leaves room for speculation about the underlying causes.
Some analysts point to the increasing costs associated with high‑quality VR and AR experiences—areas where Schell Games has invested heavily—as a possible factor. Others suggest that the broader economic environment, including inflation and reduced discretionary spending, may have forced the studio to reassess its staffing levels. The impact on the affected employees appears to be a mix of professional and personal challenges. Several of the laid‑off staff have indicated that they are exploring opportunities in adjacent fields such as educational technology, interactive media, and traditional game development.
The studio’s reputation for innovative design and strong workplace culture may help these individuals secure new roles, but the sudden nature of the cuts underscores the volatility that can exist even in companies that have previously championed employee stability. In the larger context, Schell Games’ situation serves as a reminder that even studios with a strong brand and a history of creative success are not immune to market forces. The company’s commitment to not putting jobs at risk, as articulated by Jesse Schell, may now be tested by the realities of cash flow constraints and the need to maintain a sustainable development pipeline.
Looking ahead, industry observers will be watching how Schell Games navigates this period of contraction. Will the studio double down on its existing IPs, such as the I Expect You To Die series, to generate reliable revenue? Might it pivot toward contract work for larger publishers, leveraging its expertise in immersive experiences?
Or could the company explore alternative business models, like subscription‑based educational content, to diversify its income streams? Regardless of the path chosen, the current episode highlights the delicate balance that game developers must strike between creative ambition and financial prudence. For the employees who remain, the challenge will be to continue delivering the high‑quality, innovative experiences that have defined Schell Games’ portfolio while adapting to a leaner operational structure. For those who have departed, the hope is that their skills and experience will open doors to new ventures in a rapidly evolving industry.
In summary, Schell Games has announced its first ever round of layoffs, affecting an estimated fourteen staff members across engineering, marketing, art, design, and visual‑effects departments. The cuts come amid a broader industry downturn, contradicting the company’s previously stated commitment to protecting jobs from financial risk. While the long‑term implications for the studio remain uncertain, the situation underscores the ongoing challenges faced by game developers in an environment where revenue streams are increasingly unpredictable.