Some employees, former employees, and spectators have criticized the update that emerged on November 26, 2025, from Splash Damage that confirmed the studio is undergoing a consultation period that will likely end with significant layoffs.
“Today we announced to our teams that we are entering a studio-wide consultation process affecting all roles,” the studio disclosed in an official statement shared on its social platforms.
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“This was a difficult step for us to take, but we believe it is necessary so Splash Damage can remain agile and adaptable in what has been a very challenging market. We know this kind of change is emotionally tough, and we will do what we can to guide our people through this process with honesty and care.”
Splash Damage was acquired last September by unnamed private equity investors. At the time of the deal, it was said that the studio would continue to operate under the existing leadership team. Splash Damage was previously a property of Tencent via the purchase of poultry firm Leyou in 2020.
Earlier this year, Splash Damage laid off staff, a decision that followed the cancellation of online action game Transformers: Reactivate. The game was revealed in 2022. The following year, the studio announced it was working on an open-world survival game codenamed Project Astrid.
The last major release from Splash Damage was Outcasters, which launched in 2020 for the short-lived Google Stadia platform. Outcasters was a multiplayer shooter. Splash Damage is one of the few remaining large studios in London.
Reactions trailing the update from Splash Damage
Splash Damage was founded in 2001. According to the studio, the idea “began as a bunch of friends who’d met playing games online”. In the past two decades, they have worked on popular franchises including Gears of War 4 and 5, Doom 3, and Halo: The Master Chief Collection.
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Alex Beckers, a mobile game project manager at Jam City, blamed Nexon for various reasons, which he failed to mention. However, he “always thought the Splash Damage folks were passionate and talented,” and fantastic hosts.
Harriet Morris, a community manager with Dovetail Games, wrote, “Coatsink potentially laying off half their staff and Splash Damage putting their entire UK staff into a consultancy period (with likely a lot of layoffs to follow) both in the same day is absolutely brutal. Right before Christmas, might I add, when studios take much longer to get back to you for even an interview.”
“The UK games industry has taken yet another huge hit, and it’s devastating to see. We’re NORMALISING this and it has to stop. We see the news and become desensitized to it, we move on from it and that’s that. Not me. I haven’t forgot the 4,000 games industry workers laid off in July, I haven’t forgotten the thousands before that, or the tens of thousands before that. Or what I went through.”
Splash Damage devs are actively looking for new roles
Although it is not clear the number of people that would remain after the consultation period, employees of the company are now looking for new roles. One of the first to post about the restructuring at Splash Damage was senior development director Ryan Wiltshire, who has worked with the studio for 17 years.
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“Today Splash Damage shared that we have entered a studio-wide consultation process that affects all roles,” Wiltshire wrote. “Many incredibly talented colleagues and friends, including myself, are now facing uncertainty. It is an emotionally difficult moment for everyone, and my thoughts are with the people who have given so much of themselves to this studio over the years.”
Gameplay/animation engineer Fabio Venuti reminded the public that it was the second round of restructure, admitting that his role was at risk once again. Others who mentioned that their roles were also at risk include AI engineer Leon Freire, senior level designer Tristan Meul, senior AI programmer Viktor Lundstrom, environment artist Tom-Oatley-Noons, and senior animator Eren Aydin.
With all the roles at Splash Damage being affected by the consultation process, do you think the studio is at risk of closure? Share your thoughts in the comment box below.
