FuturLab has recently announced a reduction in its staff numbers, with seven members of the team parting ways after the company decided to cancel a project that was not connected to its flagship title, PowerWash Simulator. The decision was communicated by the studio’s chief executive officer, Kirsty Rigden, during an interview with the publication This Week in Video Games. Rigden explained that the cancelled undertaking was still in its pre‑production phase when the company concluded that the anticipated revenue would fall short of the projected development costs. In her own words, continuing to invest in the venture would have been "an imprudent decision" given the financial outlook.
According to Rigden, FuturLab remains fully devoted to delivering the best possible sequel to PowerWash Simulator, while simultaneously experimenting with fresh concepts for future releases. She noted that this strategic focus required the studio to reassess its long‑term plans and the resources needed to achieve them.
"These are incredibly talented individuals, many of whom have been with us for a considerable period, and I have a great deal of appreciation for their contributions," she said. "The choice was not easy or swift, but making tough calls early helps safeguard the studio’s future stability." When pressed about whether the seven individuals were let go through formal redundancy procedures, Rigden declined to provide further specifics, citing confidentiality and legal constraints surrounding the process. She emphasized that the matter was bound by a legally enforceable agreement, and therefore she could not elaborate.
Anonymous insiders who spoke to This Week in Video Games revealed that the announcement to halt the side project came in late June. The venture, which had reportedly been under development for two to three years, was suddenly placed on ice, leaving the team members assigned to it without new assignments for several weeks. Sources described a period of uncertainty in which the affected staff were essentially left in limbo, awaiting direction that never arrived. The seven employees who ultimately departed the company were made redundant in July, according to the same sources.
It was alleged that managers and team leads were not briefed about the impending departures, nor were they told why certain individuals would be leaving. This lack of communication reportedly contributed to confusion and speculation within the studio. In August, a meeting was convened where FuturLab’s chief operating officer, Chris Mehers, purportedly 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, they were asked to label them as "the leavers," a euphemistic phrase intended to soften the impact of the news. The internal messaging also emphasized that the staff reductions would not affect the development of PowerWash Simulator 2. Employees were told that the individuals who were leaving were not required for the sequel, and their exit would not hinder the game's progress.
Moreover, it was claimed that managers and team leads were deliberately excluded from the selection process for the layoffs, ostensibly to spare them from personal guilt and to prevent the emotional strain that could arise from directly deciding who would lose their jobs. This approach, according to the sources, was designed to mitigate the anxiety of the affected staff during the two‑week period in which the decision was being finalized.
Earlier conversations with Rigden, reported by GamesIndustry.biz, hinted at the studio’s broader ambitions beyond PowerWash Simulator. She mentioned that FuturLab has traditionally aimed to juggle two projects at once, and that another, as yet unnamed, game was already in the pipeline and generating excitement within the team. "We don’t want to be pigeon‑holed as just a PowerWash studio," Rigden said.
"We’re constantly asking ourselves, ‘What else can we create?’" The situation at FuturLab reflects a common challenge in the video‑game industry: balancing creative ambition with financial realities. While the cancellation of a long‑running project can be disheartening for the developers involved, companies often must make hard choices to preserve overall viability.
In this case, FuturLab appears to be consolidating its resources around the highly successful PowerWash franchise while still nurturing new ideas for future titles. The decision to refer to departing staff as "the leavers" rather than using the term "redundancy" suggests an effort to manage internal morale and public perception, even as the underlying workforce reduction remains a difficult and emotionally charged process. Overall, the episode underscores the delicate interplay between project management, employee communication, and corporate strategy in a competitive market. FuturLab’s leadership has framed the layoffs as a proactive measure to protect the studio’s long‑term health, while also affirming its commitment to both its flagship series and the development of fresh, innovative experiences for gamers worldwide.