Kwalee Labs, a subsidiary of Kwalee, launched Luna Abyss on May 21. By June 15, the team behind the game was laid off. The sad news was revealed on social media by the studio’s CEO, Hollie Emery. Around 9 people were impacted by the decision.
“Hey folks, I have some sad news from the team behind the critically-acclaimed Luna Abyss, which launched a few weeks ago,” wrote Emery on LinkedIn. “We’re enamoured by the love and support it received both by our industry and critically by journalists and media. Whilst we faced many challenges along the way, it has been the highlight of our careers – and we are incredibly proud that it has finally seen the light of day (thank you to everyone who believed in us!).”
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“Unfortunately as of yesterday [June 15], the entire team has been made redundant; a decision that was completely outside of our control. As a result, the entire team are available for work as of today.”
Luna Abyss is a single-player, action-adventure game that features fluid platforming and bullet hell combat. The story follows the journey of Fawkes, a prisoner of Luna caught between a cryptic prophecy and their prison sentence. It is the only game developed by the subsidiary.
It is hard to tell what went wrong because Luna Abyss launched to a positive reception. In fact, its reviews on Steam are “Very Positive”. Noisy Pixel said it “delivers one of the most exhilarating FPS campaigns in recent memory, combining fast-paced combat, inventive boss encounters, and surreal platforming into a tightly focused sci-fi adventure”.
On Metacritic, the game received an average Metascore of 81 on both PS5 and PC. In the announcement on LinkedIn, Emery included a list of everyone who was impacted by the layoff and solicited the help of his connections to assist them with landing new roles.
This week has seen some of the biggest layoffs and studio closure news, particularly with Xbox Game Studios. Several studios under the umbrella are bracing up for a potential shutdown, including Ninja Theory and Compulsion.
What do you think is responsible for the layoffs at Kwalee Labs? Share your thoughts in the comment box below.
