Schell Games, the studio best known for co‑creating the three‑dimensional version of Among Us and for the popular I Expect You to Die series, has recently been forced to trim its workforce. According to a report published by Game Developer, several employees posted on LinkedIn about a wave of layoffs that began on Friday of the previous week.
The first public indication of the cuts came from the studio’s principal engineering manager, who wrote that Schell Games was experiencing its inaugural round of layoffs. The manager clarified that they themselves had not been dismissed, but that the news was unsettling for the entire team. "This isn’t a result of any individual actions. Our industry (and beyond) right now is bleeding profusely," the post read, underscoring the broader market pressures that many game developers are confronting.
Further confirmation arrived from Dwayne Waite Jr., the studio’s marketing director, who disclosed that the marketing department was among those affected. He listed four colleagues who were let go, providing a human face to the numbers. In addition, the senior public relations manager at Schell Games added names from the art, design, and visual‑effects divisions, indicating that the reductions spanned multiple disciplines within the company. Based on the cumulative information from these LinkedIn updates, industry observers estimate that roughly fourteen employees have been impacted.
This figure is notable given that Schell Games’ own LinkedIn profile lists its staff size as ranging between 51 and 200 people, suggesting that the layoffs represent a meaningful percentage of the workforce. One of the affected employees, the senior public relations manager, expressed a mixture of disappointment and pride in a reflective post. "I won’t pretend this isn’t a disappointing way to end this chapter, especially after almost six years," they 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 in a creative industry where collaboration and long‑term relationships are central to success.
The timing of these layoffs is particularly striking because Schell Games’ founder and chief executive officer, Jesse Schell, has publicly advocated against job cuts for several years. In a 2024 interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Schell emphasized that the studio separates financial risk from the risk to its 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 philosophy reflects a broader debate within the video‑game sector about how studios should balance fiscal responsibility with employee security. Many developers argue that protecting jobs should be a priority, even if it means scaling back on ambitious projects or seeking alternative funding models.
Others contend that the volatile nature of game development—where projects can be delayed, canceled, or fail to meet sales expectations—makes some level of workforce flexibility inevitable. The current situation at Schell Games illustrates how even studios that publicly commit to job security can be forced to reconsider when external pressures mount. The industry as a whole has been described as "hemorrhaging" due to a combination of factors: rising development costs, a saturated market, shifting consumer preferences toward live‑service models, and macro‑economic headwinds such as inflation and reduced discretionary spending.
These forces have led to a wave of consolidations, studio closures, and layoffs across both indie and AAA publishers. For Schell Games, the decision to reduce staff may be a strategic move to preserve the company’s long‑term viability.
By trimming the headcount, the studio can potentially lower its operating expenses, reallocate resources to core projects, and avoid more drastic measures such as a full shutdown. However, the human impact remains significant. Each laid‑off employee faces the challenge of finding new opportunities in a competitive job market, while the remaining team members must adjust to altered workflows and possibly take on additional responsibilities. The broader community has responded with a mixture of sympathy and concern.
Fans of Schell Games’ titles have taken to social media to express support for the affected workers, sharing messages of encouragement and offering to spread the word about open positions elsewhere. Industry analysts are watching closely to see whether Schell Games will be able to maintain its creative output and continue delivering the high‑quality, immersive experiences that have defined its brand. GamesIndustry.biz has reached out to Schell Games for an official comment on the layoffs, but as of the time of writing, no response has been received. The lack of a direct statement leaves room for speculation about the company’s future direction, including whether additional rounds of reductions might be on the horizon or if the studio plans to stabilize its operations in the coming months.
In summary, Schell Games’ recent workforce reductions serve as a stark reminder of the precarious state of the video‑game industry today. Even studios that champion employee stability are not immune to the financial pressures that can compel difficult decisions. As the sector continues to evolve, both creators and consumers will need to grapple with the realities of an environment where creative ambition must often be balanced against economic sustainability.