It was recently reported that Bend Studio had undergone a round of redundancies that had led to ‘30%’ of the studio’s dismissal. In recent hours, the team at Bend confirmed these layoffs with a statement released on social media, but neglected to advise how many employees had been impacted by the move.
It was referenced that the layoffs have taken place as the team ‘transitions’ to their ‘next project’.
‘They’ve Shaped Who We Are’
The revelation regarding Bend Studios’ layoffs emerged as developers started posting on social media platforms about their redundancy from the company. In January, contractors were let go from Bend Studio after a live-service title was cancelled by the studio.
In a statement on social media, the Bend Studio team wrote:
Today, we said goodbye to some incredibly talented teammates as we transition to our next project. We’re deeply thankful for their contributions as they’ve shaped who we are, and their impact will always be part of our story.
This is a difficult moment for our team, but we hold immense respect for everyone who got us here. As we move forward, we remain committed to building the future of Bend Studio with creativity, passion, and innovation in the titles we craft.
It’s not known what Bend Studio is working on as it enters this stressful time for the team. Most recently, the studio released Days Gone Remastered, a game that many thought didn’t need to exist.
Historically, the studio has worked on a relatively small selection of games, with the company’s brand being dominated for many years by Syphon Filter, a series that spanned 1999 to 2007. Bend also developed some PlayStation-based handheld titles – Resistance: Retribution, Uncharted: Golden Abyss, and Uncharted: Fight for Fortune.
The consensus going forward is that if Syphon Filter isn’t being revisited and Days Gone isn’t getting a sequel, Bend Studio must be working on a new IP. Either that or it’s preparing to reboot Bubsy 3D, a stellar platformer from 1996 that’s a personal favourite of our Mike Straw.
What do you hope Bend Studio is working on? Let me know on the Insider Gaming forum.
For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out the news that Just Cause 5 was reportedly cancelled
Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
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Studio closures on the way Haven, Media Molucule, Bungie, Bend, Insomniac, Sucker Punch, and Naughty Dog may want to worry too more layoffs for sure.