FuturLab announced that it would be parting ways with seven members of its team after the company decided to terminate a development effort that was unrelated to its flagship title, PowerWash Simulator. The decision was communicated by CEO Kirsty Rigden in an interview with This Week in Video Games, where she explained that the project was cancelled while still in the pre‑production phase because the projected revenue would not have covered the anticipated costs. "Continuing with it would not have been a sensible decision," Rigden said, underscoring the financial prudence behind the move.
Rigden emphasized that FuturLab remains wholly committed to delivering the best possible sequel to PowerWash Simulator, while also continuing to prototype fresh concepts for future titles. She added that this strategic focus required a reassessment of the studio’s long‑term plans and resource requirements.
"It’s heartbreaking because these are incredibly talented people, many of whom have been with us for a long time, and I have a deep appreciation for each of them," she continued. "The decision was neither easy nor swift, but making tough choices early helps safeguard FuturLab’s future stability." When pressed about whether the seven employees were let go through a formal redundancy process, Rigden declined to provide specifics, citing confidentiality and legal obligations. "I’m unable to divulge any further details about a confidential and legally binding process," she said. According to anonymous sources cited by This Week in Video Games, the cancellation of the unnamed project was announced by Rigden in late June.
The venture had reportedly been in development for somewhere between two and three years before being halted. One insider claimed that, after the announcement, the staff assigned to the project were left without new assignments for several weeks, creating a period of uncertainty. The seven individuals who were ultimately affected were reportedly made redundant in July. Sources indicated that managers and team leads were not told that their direct reports would be leaving, nor were they given an explanation for the departures.
An internal meeting held in August, according to the same sources, featured FuturLab’s Chief Operating Officer, Chris Mehers, who described the situation as a restructuring of the studio. During a subsequent gathering, employees were reportedly instructed to avoid using the term “redundancy” when referring to the departing staff. Instead, they were asked to label them as “the leavers.” This linguistic directive was part of an effort to manage the narrative around the workforce reduction.
Employees were also told that the seven who were leaving would not be needed for the development of PowerWash Simulator 2, and that their exit would have no impact on the sequel’s progress. The same sources alleged that managers and team leads were deliberately excluded from the selection process for the affected individuals. The rationale given was to prevent those managers from feeling personal guilt and to reduce the stress for the departing employees, who otherwise might have spent two weeks in limbo not knowing whether their jobs were secure.
In a prior interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Rigden discussed the studio’s future direction, including the cancelled project. She noted that FuturLab has historically tried to run two projects simultaneously.
"We have another game that I’m really excited about," she said. "We don’t want to be known solely as a PowerWash studio. We’re constantly asking ourselves, ‘What else could we do?’" The situation at FuturLab reflects a broader trend in the games industry, where studios often juggle multiple development streams to diversify revenue and mitigate risk. However, when one project fails to meet financial expectations, companies may resort to staff reductions or reallocation of talent to preserve core franchises.
In this case, the decision to cancel the non‑PowerWash project appears to have been driven by a cost‑benefit analysis that projected insufficient returns. While the seven former employees have not publicly commented on their departure, the internal handling of the layoff—particularly the instruction to avoid the word “redundancy”—has drawn attention. Critics argue that such language can obscure the reality of job loss and may be intended to soften the perception of the cuts among remaining staff.
Supporters within the industry, however, point out that rebranding the narrative can help maintain morale during periods of transition. Looking ahead, FuturLab’s leadership has signaled that the studio will continue to invest heavily in PowerWash Simulator 2, aiming to enhance the game’s features, polish, and overall player experience. At the same time, the company is reportedly nurturing a new, undisclosed project that could expand its portfolio beyond the cleaning‑simulation genre.
The success of this upcoming title, combined with the performance of PowerWash Simulator 2, will likely determine whether FuturLab needs to revisit its staffing model in the near future. In summary, FuturLab’s recent workforce reduction stems from the cancellation of a long‑running, non‑PowerWash project that was deemed financially untenable. The company has taken steps to protect its flagship sequel while also exploring new creative directions.
The handling of the layoff—particularly the choice of terminology and the exclusion of managers from the decision‑making process—has been noted by industry observers as a noteworthy aspect of the studio’s internal communications strategy.