Thunderful Games, the developer of the SteamWorld series, has announced 80-100 layoffs at the company and a reshifting focus for third-party games. In a press release, the company said the layoffs were part of a “restructuring.” Along with the layoffs, an unspecified number of game projects were officially canceled.
CEO of Thunderful Martin Walfisz said that the decision came with regret, but this isn’t the first time the company has seen layoffs this year. Back in January, Thunderful saw 20% of the company’s staff laid off in a similar “restructuring,” something that Walfisz acknowledges and saw as unavoidable.
“It is regrettable to announce a second restructuring of Thunderful in less than a year, but we unfortunately see no other alternatives in order to ensure the Group’s long-term sustainability and resilience,” Walfisz said. “The strategic move towards publishing games from external partners allows us to reduce fixed costs, increase flexibility, and better control our cash flow. We have many talented and dedicated employees, and it is with great regret that we are forced to part ways.”