FuturLab has recently announced a reduction in its staff numbers, with seven members of the team departing after the company decided to cancel a development effort that was unrelated to its flagship title, PowerWash Simulator. The decision was communicated by the studio’s chief executive, Kirsty Rigden, who spoke to the outlet This Week in Video Games to explain the rationale behind the move. According to Rigden, the cancelled endeavor was still in the pre‑production phase when the decision was made. "We realised that the projected revenue would not cover the costs required to bring the game to market," she said.
"Continuing with a project that would inevitably run at a loss would not be a responsible choice for the studio or its shareholders." The statement underscored that the cancellation was driven by financial prudence rather than creative differences or technical setbacks. Rigden also emphasized that FuturLab remains fully committed to delivering the next installment of PowerWash Simulator, often referred to as PowerWash Simulator 2, while simultaneously exploring new concepts for future releases. "Our priority is to make the sequel the best experience possible for our community," she noted, adding that the studio is also "prototyping fresh ideas for upcoming games." This dual focus, she explained, required a reassessment of the studio’s long‑term plans and resource allocation. The CEO expressed genuine regret over the staff reductions, describing the affected employees as "extremely talented" and many of them as long‑standing members of the team.
"These are people I have worked closely with for years, and I have a deep appreciation for their contributions," Rigden said. "The decision was far from easy, but making tough choices early helps safeguard FuturLab’s stability and ability to innovate in the future." When pressed about whether the seven individuals were let go through a formal redundancy process, Rigden declined to provide specifics, citing confidentiality and legal constraints. "I’m not at liberty to discuss the details of a confidential, legally binding procedure," she replied. Anonymous insiders who spoke to This Week in Video Games offered additional context.
They reported that Rigden announced the cancellation in late June, after the project had reportedly been in development for two to three years. One source claimed that the team working on the shelved title was left without new assignments for several weeks, creating uncertainty about their future within the company. The seven employees were said to have been formally made redundant in July. According to the same sources, managers and team leads were not told in advance that their direct reports would be departing, nor were they given an explanation for the sudden change.
This lack of communication, the sources suggested, contributed to a sense of confusion and unease among the remaining staff. In August, FuturLab reportedly held a meeting in which chief operating officer Chris Mehers described the situation as part of a broader restructuring effort. During a follow‑up session, employees were instructed to avoid using the term "redundancy" when referring to the departing colleagues, instead labeling them as "the leavers." This linguistic guidance was intended to soften the perception of the cuts and to maintain morale among those still employed. The guidance also included assurances that the departures would not affect the development timeline of PowerWash Simulator 2.
Staff were told that the outgoing team members were not required for the sequel, implying that the core production pipeline for the flagship game remained intact despite the workforce reduction. Further details emerged about the decision‑making process. Sources alleged that managers and team leads were deliberately excluded from selecting which employees would be let go, a move intended to shield them from personal guilt and to reduce the emotional burden associated with the layoffs.
The rationale, as described by the insiders, was to prevent the remaining staff from experiencing prolonged anxiety over job security during the two‑week period in which the process unfolded. GamesIndustry.biz previously interviewed Rigden about FuturLab’s future direction, including the cancelled project. In that conversation, Rigden highlighted the studio’s ambition to work on multiple titles simultaneously.
"We’ve always aimed to have two projects running at once," she said. "We have another game in the pipeline that I’m really excited about. We don’t want to be known solely as a PowerWash studio; we’re constantly asking ourselves, ‘What else can we create?’" The broader industry reaction to FuturLab’s staffing cuts reflects a growing awareness of the challenges faced by mid‑size development studios.
Balancing the financial realities of game production with the desire to diversify portfolios often forces companies to make difficult personnel decisions. While the cancellation of a non‑core project can free up resources for flagship titles, it also raises concerns about job security and the well‑being of creative talent. In summary, FuturLab’s recent workforce reduction was a consequence of the cancellation of a pre‑production project that was projected to be financially untenable. The studio’s leadership framed the move as a protective measure aimed at preserving the health of the company and ensuring the continued success of PowerWash Simulator 2.
Although the affected employees were described as highly skilled and long‑standing members of the team, the process was handled with a degree of secrecy and careful language management, as evidenced by the instruction to refer to them as "the leavers" rather than using the term "redundancy." The situation underscores the delicate balance that game developers must strike between creative ambition, fiscal responsibility, and the human impact of organizational change.