Schell Games, the studio best known for co‑creating the three‑dimensional version of the hit party title Among Us and for the critically acclaimed I Expect You To Die series, has reportedly begun a round of staff reductions. The news surfaced after several employees posted about the layoffs on LinkedIn, prompting coverage by Game Developer and other industry outlets. The first public hint came from the studio’s principal engineering manager, who posted on Friday that Schell Games was carrying out its inaugural layoff round.
The manager clarified that they themselves were not among those let go, and added a note of reassurance to their colleagues: "This isn’t a result of anything you did or didn’t do. Our industry (and beyond) right now is hemorrhaging." Further confirmation arrived from Dwayne Waite Jr., the company’s marketing director, who identified members of the marketing team as part of the cut and listed four individuals who were directly impacted. The senior public‑relations manager at Schell Games also contributed to the conversation, naming several colleagues from the art, design, and visual‑effects departments who were losing their positions. Compiling the various LinkedIn updates suggests that roughly fourteen employees have been affected by the reductions.
Schell Games’ LinkedIn profile indicates the studio employs somewhere between 51 and 200 staff members, meaning the layoffs represent a modest but noticeable percentage of the workforce. One of the affected employees, the senior public‑relations manager, expressed a mixture of disappointment and pride in a follow‑up 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 the 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 emphasized that the studio separates financial risk from the risk to its 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 comments suggested a philosophy that the company would absorb financial setbacks rather than resort to layoffs, a promise that now appears to have been challenged by broader market conditions. The gaming industry has been experiencing a prolonged downturn, with many studios reporting revenue shortfalls, delayed releases, and shrinking consumer spending.
This macro‑economic pressure has forced even firms that previously prided themselves on employee stability to reconsider their staffing models. Industry analysts point out that the current environment is characterized by a "bleeding" of talent across the sector, as publishers tighten budgets and investors demand tighter cost controls. The term "hemorrhaging" used by the engineering manager captures the sense of a systemic issue rather than an isolated incident at Schell Games.
In recent months, other mid‑size developers have announced similar rounds of layoffs, often citing the same combination of reduced ad spend, lower in‑game purchase revenue, and the lingering effects of supply‑chain disruptions that impacted hardware sales. For Schell Games, the cuts may also reflect a strategic shift in its project pipeline. The studio has been balancing work on external contracts—such as the Among Us 3D collaboration—with its own intellectual property, the I Expect You To Die series, which blends puzzle‑solving with immersive storytelling. Maintaining a diverse portfolio can be advantageous, but it also means the company must allocate resources carefully, especially when external partners adjust their own budgets.
While the layoffs are a setback for the affected employees, the broader team appears committed to moving forward. In a separate LinkedIn comment, a senior developer noted that the studio is refocusing on its core strengths: creating high‑quality, experience‑driven games that can thrive in a post‑pandemic market where players are seeking more engaging, socially connected experiences. The developer added that the remaining staff are planning to streamline production pipelines, adopt more modular asset creation methods, and explore new funding models, such as early access or episodic releases, to generate cash flow without compromising creative vision. The incident also raises questions about the future of employee‑first policies in an industry that is increasingly volatile.
As Schell Games navigates this transition, it will be watched closely by peers and observers who are interested in whether the studio can uphold its stated commitment to protecting jobs while still remaining financially viable. GamesIndustry.biz has reached out to Schell Games for an official comment on the layoffs and on how the company intends to reconcile its earlier statements about job security with the current reality.
Until a response is received, the situation serves as a reminder that even studios with a strong reputation for employee care are not immune to the broader economic forces shaping the gaming landscape.