FuturLab has recently announced a reduction in its staff numbers, cutting seven positions after the company decided to terminate a development effort that was unrelated to its flagship title, PowerWash Simulator. The decision, which has drawn attention from industry observers, was explained by the studio’s chief executive, Kirsty Rigden, in an interview with the publication This Week in Video Games.
According to Rigden, the cancelled project was still in the pre‑production phase when the company chose to pull the plug. "The projected revenue would not have covered the anticipated costs," she said, adding that continuing to fund the venture would have been financially imprudent. "We had to make a responsible choice for the health of the studio," she explained.
Rigden emphasized that FuturLab remains fully dedicated to delivering the next installment of PowerWash Simulator, describing the upcoming sequel as the studio’s top priority. At the same time, she noted that the team continues to prototype new concepts for future games, a process that inevitably requires a periodic review of the studio’s long‑term plans and resource needs.
"We constantly evaluate where we are headed and what talent we need to achieve those goals," she said. The CEO expressed genuine regret over the layoffs, describing the affected individuals as "super‑talented" and many of them as long‑standing members of the company.
"These are people I respect deeply, and it was a heart‑breaking decision," Rigden admitted. She framed the move as a preventative measure, arguing that making tough choices early can safeguard the studio’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 constraints surrounding the matter.
Anonymous insiders shared additional details with This Week in Video Games. They reported that Rigden announced the cancellation of the side project in late June, after the effort had reportedly been under development for two to three years. One source claimed that the staff working on the project were left without new assignments for several weeks, creating a period of uncertainty. The seven individuals who ultimately left the company were reportedly 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. In August, the studio allegedly held a meeting in which Chief Operating Officer Chris Mehers described the situation as a restructuring of the organization. During a follow‑up session, employees were instructed to avoid using the term "redundancy" when referring to the departing staff, and instead to call them "the leavers." The directive was reportedly intended to soften the language around the layoffs and to maintain morale among the remaining team.
The company also communicated that the seven former employees would not be required for the development of PowerWash Simulator 2, and that their exit would have no adverse effect on the sequel’s timeline or quality. Managers and team leads were said to have been excluded from the selection process for the affected staff, a move that the insiders said was designed to shield them from guilt and to reduce the stress for those being let go, who would otherwise have faced two weeks of job‑security uncertainty.
Earlier conversations with GamesIndustry.biz revealed that Rigden had spoken about the studio’s future direction, noting that FuturLab has historically tried to juggle two projects simultaneously. "We have another game in the pipeline that I’m really excited about," she said. "We don’t want to be pigeon‑holed as just a PowerWash studio. We’re always asking ourselves, ‘What else can we create?’" The situation at FuturLab reflects a broader trend in the video‑game industry, where mid‑size studios often balance the desire to innovate with the financial realities of development cycles.
When a project fails to meet projected profitability thresholds, companies may opt to cancel it early to avoid sunk‑cost losses, even if that means cutting staff. Industry analysts point out that the practice of avoiding the word "redundancy" in internal communications is not unique to FuturLab.
Many firms adopt euphemistic language—such as "right‑sizing," "transitioning," or, in this case, "the leavers"—to mitigate the emotional impact of layoffs and to preserve the company’s public image. However, critics argue that such language can obscure the reality of job loss and may hinder transparent dialogue with employees.
For the seven former FuturLab staff members, the abrupt termination of their roles may represent a significant career disruption. Yet, sources suggest that some of the individuals have already begun exploring opportunities with other studios or are considering freelance work, leveraging the experience they gained on the cancelled project.
Looking ahead, FuturLab’s leadership appears confident that the studio can weather this restructuring and continue to deliver high‑quality experiences. The focus on PowerWash Simulator 2, combined with the ongoing exploration of new game concepts, signals a strategic pivot toward consolidating the company’s strengths while remaining open to future diversification. In summary, FuturLab’s recent staff cuts stem from the decision to abandon a non‑PowerWash project that was deemed financially untenable. The company has communicated the changes using softened terminology, aimed at preserving morale, while reaffirming its commitment to its core franchise and to the development of new ideas.
The episode underscores the delicate balance that game developers must maintain between creative ambition and fiscal responsibility.