Lightforge Games Undergoes Significant Staff Reduction

Lightforge Games has revealed plans to downsize its workforce substantially by the end of the month, with development on its collaborative online RPG, Project ORCS, being put on hold. According to a LinkedIn post by co-founder and CEO Matt Schembari, a minimal team will stay on to oversee the studio's future. Schembari expressed that the project was always a high-risk endeavor driven by a passion for collaborative storytelling and a desire to innovate. However, the studio was unable to secure the necessary funding to complete the game, leading to the pause in development and subsequent layoffs. The decision aims to support the affected developers, providing them with ample time to adjust and assistance in finding new opportunities in the job market. Founded in May 2021 by veterans from Epic Games and Blizzard Entertainment, Lightforge Games had initially raised $5 million in investment.