Schell Games, the development studio best known for co‑creating the three‑dimensional version of the viral hit Among Us and for producing the critically acclaimed I Expect You to Die series, has reportedly begun a round of layoffs affecting several members of its staff. The information first surfaced in a piece published by Game Developer, which cited a series of LinkedIn updates posted by current and former employees. These posts painted a clear picture of a wave of job cuts that started on a Friday and quickly spread throughout various departments within the company.
One of the most striking messages came from the studio’s principal engineering manager. In a brief but poignant note, the manager wrote, “Schell Games experienced its first-ever layoffs today.” The manager clarified that they themselves were not among those whose positions were terminated, underscoring the sudden and unexpected nature of the cuts. The engineering manager went on to explain the broader context, stating, “This isn’t a result of any individual actions.
Our industry (and beyond) is currently bleeding heavily.” The phrase captures a sentiment shared by many in the gaming sector, where market volatility, rising development costs, and shifting consumer preferences have created a challenging environment for studios of all sizes. Further confirmation arrived from Dwayne Waite Jr., the studio’s marketing director, who used his own LinkedIn platform to acknowledge that the marketing team had been directly impacted. Waite listed four colleagues who were among those let go, providing a personal touch to the otherwise corporate‑sounding announcement.
In addition, the senior public relations manager at Schell Games contributed to the narrative by naming several individuals from the art, design, and visual effects divisions who were also affected. When the various posts are tallied, the consensus is that approximately fourteen employees have been laid off.
This figure is notable given the studio’s reported headcount, which according to its LinkedIn profile, falls somewhere between 51 and 200 staff members. Even at the upper end of that range, a reduction of fourteen people represents a significant percentage of the workforce, especially when the cuts touch multiple functional areas.
One of the departing employees, the senior public relations manager, expressed a mixture of disappointment and pride in a reflective comment. “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 highlights the emotional toll that layoffs can take, even when the individuals involved have had largely positive experiences during their tenure. The layoffs are particularly striking because they appear to run counter to the public stance historically taken by Schell Games’ founder and chief executive officer, Jesse Schell.
In a 2024 interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Schell articulated a philosophy that separated financial risk from the risk to employees’ jobs. He emphasized that the studio would be willing to gamble cash on a game’s development but would avoid jeopardizing its staff’s livelihood. Schell 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.” Those words were intended to reassure both employees and the broader industry that Schell Games prioritized stability for its workforce, even in the face of uncertain revenue streams. The current round of layoffs, therefore, raises questions about whether the studio’s financial situation has deteriorated to a point where even its long‑standing commitment to job security could no longer be upheld.
It also reflects a broader trend in the gaming industry, where many mid‑size and independent studios are forced to make difficult staffing decisions due to rising production costs, the increasing complexity of modern games, and a competitive market that can shift dramatically from one quarter to the next. GamesIndustry.biz has reached out to Schell Games for an official comment on the layoffs and to seek clarification on how the decision aligns with the company’s previously stated values.
As of the time of writing, no response has been received, leaving the community and former employees to speculate on the underlying financial pressures that may have prompted the cuts. In summary, Schell Games, a studio celebrated for its innovative gameplay experiences and immersive storytelling, is now navigating a period of contraction.
Fourteen staff members across engineering, marketing, art, design, and visual effects have been let go, marking the first layoff event in the company’s history. While the company’s leadership has historically championed a philosophy of protecting jobs, the current economic climate within the gaming sector appears to have forced a reassessment of that stance. The full impact of these layoffs on the studio’s future projects, its culture, and its reputation remains to be seen, but the situation serves as a stark reminder of the volatility that can affect even well‑established developers in today’s market.