Schell Games, the studio best known for co‑creating the three‑dimensional version of the wildly popular party game Among Us and for producing the critically acclaimed I Expect You to Die series, has recently been forced to reduce its workforce. Multiple reports emerging from the Game Developer community indicate that a series of layoffs began early last week, with several employees taking to LinkedIn to share their experiences and to confirm the scale of the cuts. The first public acknowledgment came from the studio’s principal engineering manager, who posted that the organization had conducted its "first ever layoffs" on a Friday. The manager emphasized that the decision was not a reflection of any personal performance issues, noting, "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 industry‑wide downturn, suggesting that the layoffs are symptomatic of larger market pressures rather than internal mismanagement. Further confirmation arrived from Dwayne Waite Jr., Schell Games' marketing director. Waite identified that the marketing department was among those affected and went on to name four specific colleagues who were let go.
In addition, the studio’s senior public relations manager contributed a list of names from the art, design, and visual‑effects teams, painting a clearer picture of the breadth of the reductions. When all the reported names are tallied, it appears that roughly fourteen individuals have been impacted across various disciplines.
According to Schell Games' own LinkedIn profile, the company employs somewhere between 51 and 200 staff members. If the reported figure of fourteen layoffs is accurate, the cuts represent a noticeable but not catastrophic percentage of the total headcount. Nonetheless, for those directly affected, the experience is understandably disheartening.
One public‑relations employee summed up the mixed emotions in a heartfelt post: "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." The timing of these layoffs is particularly striking given the public stance of Schell Games' founder and chief executive officer, Jesse Schell, 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 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. 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 when a project fails to generate revenue, implying that the company would rather absorb financial losses than lay off workers. The recent layoffs, therefore, raise questions about whether the economic environment has become so severe that even Schell Games' protective policies could not be sustained.
It also invites speculation about whether the company may have exhausted other cost‑saving measures, such as reducing discretionary spending, renegotiating contracts, or postponing non‑essential projects. Industry analysts point out that the broader video‑game sector has been experiencing a slowdown, with several high‑profile publishers announcing cuts, studio closures, or project cancellations over the past year. Factors contributing to this trend include rising development costs, a saturated market, shifting consumer preferences toward live‑service and mobile titles, and macro‑economic headwinds like inflation and reduced discretionary spending.
In such an environment, even mid‑size studios that have historically prioritized employee stability can find themselves forced to make difficult choices. The impact on the remaining staff at Schell Games is likely to be significant as well. Layoffs can lead to increased workloads for those who stay, as projects still need to be delivered on time and to the same quality standards.
Morale can suffer, and the company may need to invest in additional support mechanisms, such as counseling services, transparent communication, and perhaps re‑structuring of teams to ensure that critical functions remain covered. While GamesIndustry.biz has reached out to Schell Games for an official comment on the recent developments, 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, narrative‑driven experiences suggests that it will continue to seek opportunities in both traditional and emerging formats. Whether Schell Games can navigate this turbulent period without further reductions will depend on its ability to secure new contracts, possibly expand into new platforms, and maintain the creative momentum that has defined its brand.
In summary, Schell Games' recent workforce reductions reflect a painful but increasingly common reality for many developers in a challenging market. The layoffs, affecting an estimated fourteen employees across engineering, marketing, art, design, and visual effects, underscore the pressure the industry is facing. Despite the CEO's previously stated commitment to protecting jobs, external economic forces appear to have compelled the studio to act. The situation serves as a reminder that even companies with strong cultural values around employee security are not immune to the broader financial currents that shape the gaming landscape today.