Schell Games, the studio best known for co‑creating the three‑dimensional version of the viral hit *Among Us* and for the critically acclaimed *I Expect You to Die* series, has reportedly begun a round of layoffs that has left a number of its employees without positions. The news emerged after a series of LinkedIn updates from staff members at the company, which were highlighted in a recent article by *Game Developer*. The first public indication of the cuts came from the studio’s principal engineering manager, who posted on LinkedIn that the organization was undergoing its inaugural layoff event.
The manager emphasized that the decision was not a reflection of individual performance, stating, "This has happened not because of anything you did or did not do. Our industry (and beyond) right now is hemorrhaging." The phrasing underscores a broader sense of turmoil affecting not only game developers but also related sectors that rely on similar revenue streams.
Further confirmation arrived from Dwayne Waite Jr., Schell Games’ marketing director, who identified members of the marketing team among those affected. Waite named four specific individuals who were part of the reduction, illustrating that the impact reached beyond a single department.
Adding to the picture, the studio’s senior public relations manager also shared additional names from the art, design, and visual‑effects divisions, indicating that the layoffs were spread across multiple functional areas within the company. Based on the collective information from these posts, industry observers estimate that roughly fourteen employees have been let go. This figure represents a noticeable proportion of the studio’s workforce, especially when compared with the company’s own LinkedIn profile, which lists its staff size as falling somewhere between 51 and 200 employees.
If the higher end of that range is accurate, the cuts still affect a meaningful slice of the organization’s talent pool. One of the affected employees, the senior public relations manager, expressed a mixture of disappointment and pride in a reflective LinkedIn entry.
"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 captures the bittersweet nature of involuntary departures: while the circumstances are regrettable, the individual still values the professional growth and relationships cultivated during their tenure. The layoffs are particularly striking given the public stance that Schell Games’ founder and chief executive officer, Jesse Schell, has taken on the subject of job security.
In a 2024 interview with *GamesIndustry.biz*, Schell articulated a philosophy that separates financial risk from the risk to 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 remarks suggest a commitment to preserving staff even in the face of uncertain revenue, a principle that appears to have been tested by the current market conditions. The gaming industry, like many creative sectors, has been experiencing a period of financial strain, with rising development costs, shifting consumer preferences, and heightened competition from both established publishers and emerging indie studios.
These pressures have led to a wave of layoffs across the sector, as companies attempt to align their cost structures with fluctuating cash flows. The broader context includes a post‑pandemic correction where many studios that expanded rapidly during the boom years are now reassessing their headcounts. Revenue models that once seemed sustainable—such as heavy reliance on microtransactions, subscription services, or one‑off blockbuster releases—are being reevaluated as player spending patterns evolve.
In this environment, even firms that have historically prioritized employee stability may find themselves forced to make difficult decisions. While *GamesIndustry.biz* has reached out to Schell Games for an official comment on the recent layoffs, no response has been published at the time of writing. The lack of a direct statement leaves room for speculation about the internal decision‑making process and whether the company plans to implement additional measures, such as hiring freezes, salary adjustments, or restructuring of project pipelines, to mitigate further impact. For the employees who remain, the situation is likely to bring about a period of uncertainty and heightened workload as the studio adapts to a leaner structure.
Remaining staff may need to take on additional responsibilities, collaborate more closely across disciplines, and possibly shift focus to projects that promise quicker returns or lower development risk. Conversely, the layoffs could also serve as a catalyst for the company to streamline operations, prioritize high‑impact initiatives, and explore new business models that better align with the current economic climate. In summary, Schell Games’ recent workforce reductions reflect a confluence of industry‑wide financial challenges and the company’s own strategic recalibrations.
Despite a leadership philosophy that historically emphasized job security, external pressures appear to have compelled the studio to make cuts that affect a cross‑section of its talent pool. The episode underscores the volatile nature of the gaming market and serves as a reminder that even well‑established studios are not immune to the broader economic forces shaping the industry today.