Wyrdsong developer Something Wicked Games has reportedly been gutted by a wave of layoffs impacting “most” of the studio’s staff. The news was shared by senior animator Eric Webb on LinkedIn, via Game Developer, in a post indicating widespread change at the studio.
“Heartbreaking news today as Something Wicked Games had to lay off most of their staff,” Webb wrote. “As someone who has been in the industry for nearly 25 years, I understand the challenges of finding a new position during these tough times.”
As noted by Game Developer, a range of other former staff have also taken to social media to share their disappointment, confirming Webb’s report. Programmer Andrew Woloszyn and writer Jessica Slinwinski are among those laid off.
At this stage, it’s difficult to know what the future of Something Wicked Games holds. The studio was only founded in 2022, but there was much excitement around it, and its debut project, Wyrdsong. Early trailers teased a “preternatural RPG” set in Portugal, inspired by the occult.
Read: Fallout veteran announces new RPG, Wyrdsong
“Set in the middle ages and doused in occult imagery, a quest awaits players that will have them questioning their sense of reality and the choices they make,” reads the official description. “An ambitious undertaking from the team at Something Wicked Games, Wyrdsong will redefine aspects of the RPG genre as a whole.”
As of the last major blog update on the Something Wicked Games website, the team behind the game numbered around 38. Many employees were industry veterans, of companies including Bethesda Game Studios, Obsidian Entertainment, Respawn Entertainment, BioWare, and more. The tenure and experience of staff is largely what drove the excitement around the studio’s establishment.
With “most” of these employees now reportedly laid off, it’s unclear whether work on Wyrdsong is able to continue. Our thoughts are with those impacted by the reported layoffs at Something Wicked Games.
