Schell Games, the studio best known for co‑creating the three‑dimensional version of the hit party game Among Us and for the critically acclaimed I Expect You to Die franchise, has recently been forced to trim its workforce. The news broke after several employees posted about the cuts on LinkedIn, prompting coverage by industry outlet Game Developer. The first public indication of the layoffs came from the studio’s principal engineering manager, who wrote that the company was undergoing its inaugural round of staff reductions. The manager emphasized that the decision was not a reflection of any employee’s performance, noting that the broader gaming sector—and even adjacent creative fields—are experiencing a severe downturn, describing the situation as a "hemorrhaging" of talent and resources.
Further confirmation arrived from Dwayne Waite Jr., the head of marketing at Schell Games. Waite identified members of the marketing department among those let go and listed four individuals whose positions were eliminated. The studio’s senior public‑relations manager also contributed additional names, this time from the art, design, and visual‑effects teams, indicating that the cuts spanned multiple disciplines within the organization.
Based on the aggregate of these LinkedIn posts, observers estimate that roughly fourteen employees have been affected. This figure is notable when compared with the company’s publicly listed headcount, which ranges between 51 and 200 staff members according to its LinkedIn company page. While the exact percentage of the workforce impacted remains uncertain, the numbers suggest a meaningful contraction for a studio of Schell Games’ size.
One of the affected public‑relations staff members offered a reflective comment on the experience. "I won’t pretend this isn’t a disappointing way to end this chapter, especially after almost six years," the employee 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 both the personal sense of loss and the professional pride that many long‑standing employees feel when a company they helped shape must let them go.
The layoffs are particularly striking given the public stance of Schell Games’ founder and chief executive officer, Jesse Schell, who has historically spoken out against job cuts. In a 2024 interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Schell articulated a philosophy that separates financial risk from the risk to employees’ livelihoods. He explained that while the studio is willing to gamble cash on game development projects, it strives to keep jobs secure, even if a title fails to generate revenue.
"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," Schell asserted, positioning the decision to protect staff as a core value of the company. The recent reductions, therefore, appear to run counter to that stated principle, raising questions about the pressures that may have forced the studio’s hand. Industry analysts point to a confluence of factors that have strained mid‑size developers in recent months: rising production costs, a saturated market, shifting consumer preferences toward live‑service models, and broader economic headwinds that have tightened venture capital and publisher funding.
Even studios with a strong reputation for innovative, narrative‑driven experiences have not been immune to these macro‑economic forces. For Schell Games, the timing also coincides with a period of transition in the broader gaming ecosystem. The success of Among Us in its 2D form sparked a wave of interest in social deduction games, leading many developers to explore 3D adaptations and spin‑offs.
However, translating a simple, highly viral title into a more complex, three‑dimensional experience presents technical and design challenges that can inflate budgets and extend timelines. Coupled with the need to maintain the quality and humor that define the I Expect You to Die series, the studio may have found its financial projections misaligned with actual development costs.
The impact of the layoffs extends beyond the individuals directly affected. When a studio reduces its headcount, the remaining team members often inherit additional responsibilities, which can affect morale and productivity. Moreover, the loss of specialized talent in areas such as visual effects or user experience design can slow the pipeline for upcoming projects, potentially delaying release dates and affecting revenue streams.
Despite the setback, Schell Games’ leadership has not issued a detailed public response beyond the statements referenced in the Game Developer article. GamesIndustry.biz has reached out for comment, but as of this writing no official statement from Jesse Schell or other executives has been released. The silence may indicate that the company is still evaluating its next steps, or it could reflect a strategic decision to limit public discussion while internal restructuring takes place.
In the broader context, Schell Games’ situation serves as a microcosm of the challenges facing independent and mid‑tier developers in today’s volatile market. While the studio has built a portfolio of beloved titles and cultivated a reputation for creative risk‑taking, the financial realities of game development—especially in an environment where consumer attention is fragmented across numerous platforms—can force even the most well‑intentioned companies to make difficult personnel decisions. For the employees who have been let go, the path forward will likely involve leveraging the experience and networks they built during their tenure at Schell Games. The industry’s collaborative nature often means that talent displaced from one studio finds new opportunities at another, especially when they have contributed to high‑profile projects.
Meanwhile, the remaining staff will need to rally around the studio’s core mission, adapt to a leaner operational model, and continue delivering the engaging, puzzle‑rich experiences that have defined Schell Games’ brand. In summary, Schell Games’ recent layoffs underscore the tension between a company’s aspirational values—such as protecting jobs—and the harsh economic pressures that can compel even the most principled leaders to make cuts.
As the gaming landscape continues to evolve, studios will need to balance creative ambition with fiscal prudence, ensuring that they can sustain both their workforce and their innovative output over the long term.