Cuts at Black Forest Games, located in Offenburg, Germany, were reportedly announced on January 24, according to a source cited by Kotaku. While creative directors and most, if not all, managers are expected to retain their positions, further details are anticipated next week.
Acquired by Embracer operating group THQ Nordic in 2017, Black Forest Games, founded in 2012, has over 100 employees and is known for titles such as Destroy All Humans! Remakes and the upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin.
This news comes in the wake of reports suggesting the potential closure of fellow German THQ Nordic studio Piranha Bytes as part of Embracer Group’s broader restructuring efforts.
In June of the previous year, Embracer had announced the initiation of a restructuring program, which included the closure of studios, staff layoffs, and the cancellation of certain projects.
Over the following months, studios like Volition, Campfire Cabal, and Free Radical Design were closed, and others, like Gearbox, were reportedly put up for sale.
The restructuring led to over 900 layoffs during the company’s second financial quarter, affecting studios such as Crystal Dynamics, Beamdog, Zen Studios, and Fishlabs. In the subsequent months, further layoffs were made at New World Interactive, 3D Realms, Slipgate Ironworks, and a significant portion of Gearbox support studio Lost Boys Interactive.
