PlayStation-backed studio Deviation Games makes "major" layoffs

PlayStation-backed studio Deviation Games has made what are being described as "major" layoffs by now-former employees.

A series of Linkedin posts from those affected by the job cuts and others still at the studio state that a "large group" of employees have been laid off.

The posts indicate the cuts have affected staff working in a variety of disciplines, including artists, producers, and engineers.

It's unclear what prompted the layoffs but former Deviation software engineer Kyle Perras said the studio "ran into a difficult situation" that forced its hand. Sources told VGC that around 90 workers were then laid off as a result.

Major cuts at Deviation

According to a separate post from Deviation senior software engineer Daniel Olson, the studio is hosting a local job fair to help those impacted find new roles.

The news comes less than two years after Deviation signed with PlayStation to develop a new original franchise. At the time, Deviation CEO Dave Anthony said the nascent studio had over 100 employees and was "growing fast."

Since then, Deviation has undergone some pretty significant changes, with studio co-founder Jason Blundell departing suddenly in September 2022–resulting in Anthony taking on the role of game direction on the company's unannounced project.

Game Developer has reached out to Deviation for comment on the layoffs and the current status of its PlayStation project.