Schell Games, the studio best known for co‑creating the three‑dimensional version of the wildly popular game Among Us and for developing the critically acclaimed I Expect You To Die series, has reportedly begun a round of staff reductions. The news emerged after a series of LinkedIn updates from current and former employees detailed a wave of layoffs that started on a Friday earlier this week.
According to coverage from Game Developer, several team members posted about the situation, confirming that the cuts were real and affecting multiple departments. One of the most striking posts came from the studio’s principal engineering manager, who wrote, “Schell Games had its first ever layoffs today.” The manager clarified that they themselves were not among those let go, underscoring that the decision was not tied to personal performance or any individual’s conduct. The engineering manager continued, “This has happened not because of anything you did or did not do.
Our industry (and beyond) right now is hemorrhaging.” The phrasing captures a broader sense of crisis that extends beyond a single company, hinting at systemic pressures affecting the entire gaming sector, from development houses to publishers and ancillary services. The impact of the layoffs was further confirmed by Dwayne Waite Jr., the studio’s marketing director, who disclosed that the marketing team was among those hit. Waite identified four specific colleagues who were let go, providing a human face to the otherwise abstract numbers. In addition, the senior public relations manager at Schell Games shared a list of names from the art, design, and visual effects divisions, indicating that the reductions spanned creative as well as technical functions.
By tallying the publicly shared information, observers estimate that roughly fourteen employees have been affected. This figure is notable given the studio’s self‑reported size on LinkedIn, which lists the company as employing somewhere between 51 and 200 people. Whether the layoffs represent a small percentage of the total workforce or a larger proportion depends on where within that range Schell Games actually sits, but the loss of fourteen staff members is nevertheless a significant blow to any organization of that scale.
One of the individuals who posted about the experience, the senior public relations manager, expressed a mixture of disappointment and pride. They wrote, “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.” This sentiment reflects a common narrative among laid‑off professionals: while the termination is unwelcome, many choose to focus on the positive contributions they made and the relationships they forged during their tenure. The timing of these layoffs is particularly striking because Schell Games’ founder and CEO, Jesse Schell, has long been vocal about his opposition to job cuts. In a 2024 interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Schell articulated a philosophy that separates financial risk from the risk to employees’ livelihoods. He stated, “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 went on to explain that even if the studio’s own intellectual property generated no revenue, the company would still strive to keep its staff employed, emphasizing that the decision to protect jobs is ultimately a strategic choice. He added, “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 current layoffs appear to contradict that publicly stated stance, raising questions about what external forces may have forced the studio’s hand.
Industry analysts point to a confluence of factors that have been straining game developers worldwide over the past year. First, the macro‑economic environment has become increasingly volatile, with inflationary pressures and reduced consumer discretionary spending impacting sales of both premium and free‑to‑play titles. Second, the ongoing shift toward live‑service models and subscription‑based revenue streams has altered cash flow patterns, often requiring larger upfront investments and longer development cycles before a game becomes profitable. Additionally, the pandemic‑induced boom in gaming activity has begun to normalize, leaving many studios with inventory that exceeds current demand.
This “post‑pandemic correction” has forced companies to re‑evaluate budgets, staffing levels, and project pipelines. For mid‑size studios like Schell Games, which balance original IP development with contract work for larger publishers, the need to stay agile can translate into difficult personnel decisions when revenue streams wobble. Another layer to consider is the competitive pressure from larger studios that can absorb financial shocks more easily due to diversified portfolios and deeper cash reserves. Smaller developers often rely on a handful of hit titles to sustain operations, and a delay or underperformance can quickly cascade into cash‑flow shortfalls.
In this context, even a company with a strong public commitment to employee security may find itself compelled to cut staff in order to preserve the overall health of the business. The reaction from the broader gaming community has been one of empathy mixed with concern. Fans of Schell Games’ previous work have taken to social media to express support for the affected employees, sharing messages of encouragement and offering to help with networking or freelance opportunities. Some commentators have also highlighted the irony of a studio that champions immersive, narrative‑driven experiences now facing a narrative of its own—one that underscores the precarious nature of employment in creative industries.
While GamesIndustry.biz has reached out to Schell Games for an official comment on the layoffs, no response has been published at the time of writing. The studio’s future direction remains uncertain, but the company’s track record of innovative game design suggests that it may seek to restructure its operations, possibly focusing on fewer, higher‑impact projects or exploring new partnership models to stabilize revenue. In summary, Schell Games’ recent staff reductions reflect a broader trend of instability within the video game sector, where even studios with strong leadership philosophies and a history of successful titles are not immune to economic headwinds.
The layoffs have affected at least fourteen individuals across engineering, marketing, art, design, and visual effects, and have sparked a conversation about the balance between financial risk management and the commitment to protect employees’ jobs. As the industry continues to evolve, the hope among observers is that studios will find sustainable paths forward that honor both creative ambition and the well‑being of their teams.