FuturLab has announced that seven members of its team have been let go after the company decided to cancel a project that was unrelated to its flagship title, PowerWash Simulator. The decision, which was communicated by CEO Kirsty Rigden in an interview with This Week in Video Games, was described as a financially driven move. Rigden explained that the cancelled effort was still in the pre‑production phase when the company realized that the projected costs would exceed any realistic revenue expectations.
Continuing to invest in a venture that was unlikely to become profitable, she said, would not have been a sensible business choice. In the same statement, Rigden emphasized that FuturLab remains fully committed to delivering the best possible sequel to PowerWash Simulator, while also exploring fresh concepts for future games.
She noted that this dual focus required a careful review of the studio’s long‑term plans and resource needs. "This is awful," Rigden added, referring to the seven individuals who were affected. "These are incredibly talented people, many of whom have been with us for a long time, and I have a deep appreciation for their contributions. The decision was neither easy nor swift, but making tough choices early helps protect FuturLab’s future stability." When pressed about whether the departures were officially classified as redundancies, Rigden declined to provide further details, citing confidentiality and the legal sensitivities surrounding the process.
She indicated that the company could not discuss the specifics of any legally binding procedures that might have been involved. According to anonymous sources quoted by This Week in Video Games, the cancellation of the side project was first announced by Rigden in late June.
The initiative had reportedly been in development for two to three years, with a small team working on it alongside the core PowerWash Simulator effort. One source claimed that, after the cancellation announcement, the staff assigned to the project were left without new assignments for several weeks, creating a period of uncertainty and idle time. The seven employees who were ultimately let go were reportedly made redundant in July.
Sources close to the studio said that managers and team leads were not told in advance that their direct reports would be leaving, nor were they given an explanation for the sudden departures. This lack of communication, according to the sources, contributed to an atmosphere of confusion within the studio. In August, FuturLab held a meeting in which COO Chris Mehers allegedly explained that the studio was undergoing a restructuring phase. During a follow‑up session, employees were reportedly instructed to avoid using the term "redundancy" when referring to the departing staff.
Instead, they were asked to call them "the leavers." The guidance was said to be part of an effort to manage the narrative around the workforce changes and to minimise any potential negative impact on morale. The same guidance reportedly included assurances that the exits would not affect the development of PowerWash Simulator 2.
Employees were told that the seven individuals were not required for the sequel and that their departure would not delay or diminish the quality of the upcoming game. Additionally, managers and team leads were allegedly excluded from the selection process for the layoffs, a decision that was justified as a way to spare them from personal guilt and to reduce the stress on the affected staff, who might otherwise have been left uncertain about their job security for up to two weeks during the transition. GamesIndustry.biz previously interviewed Rigden about FuturLab’s future direction, including the now‑canceled project. In that conversation, Rigden expressed enthusiasm for a new, unnamed game that the studio is developing.
She reiterated that FuturLab does not wish to become solely a PowerWash Simulator studio and that the team is constantly brainstorming alternative concepts. "We've always tried to run two projects at once… so we have another game that I’m really excited about. We don’t want to be just a PowerWash studio… we’re always thinking, ‘What else could we do?’" she said. The situation at FuturLab highlights the challenges that independent developers face when balancing ambitious multi‑project pipelines with the financial realities of game production.
While the company’s flagship title continues to enjoy commercial success, the cancellation of a secondary project and the subsequent staff reductions underscore the difficult trade‑offs that can arise when projected costs outstrip expected returns. For the seven former employees, the abrupt change marks the end of their tenure at a studio known for its quirky, physics‑based cleaning game, while for the remaining team members, it serves as a reminder of the volatile nature of the industry and the importance of clear communication during periods of organizational change.