Tomb Raider and Perfect Dark devs Crystal Dynamics cut staff, promising that current projects are unaffected

17 radical fto go, including a elder combat designer

Tomb Raider, Soul Reaver and Perfect Dark developers Crystal Dynamics are laying disconnected 17 "talented squad members" successful bid "to amended align our existent concern needs and the studio's aboriginal success". According to a societal media statement, they "did not instrumentality this determination lightly". Oh, and "this alteration does not change our existent task plans."

It's not wide who precisely has mislaid their jobs, but going by this Xitter post, elder combat decorator Mark Vernon is 1 of them. "Call maine Mark S the mode I conscionable got severed, from employment," helium writes. Best of luck uncovering your mode to the achromatic elevator hall, Mark V. (If you haven't watched Severance, I committedness this notation is much hopeful than it sounds.)

Crystal's existent projects see a caller Tomb Raider game, collaborations with Aspyr connected assorted Tomb Raider and Legacy Of Kain remasters, and a collaboration with The Initiative connected a reboot of Rare's Perfect Dark. The second seems promising - reminiscent of Eidos Montreal's Deux Ex games successful its blend of gadgetry and improvisation.

"Cor, erstwhile was the past clip a large caller first-person crippled looked to person this benignant of systemic flexibility," wrote Graham past year. "I'm partially conscionable relieved to spot a crippled trailer that looks similar a game, and not a cutscene that looks years distant from being playable. Although, notably, determination was nary merchandise day astatine the extremity of this gameplay trailer, not adjacent a year."

Not overmuch is known astir the caller Tomb Raider, which is being published by Amazon Games, and was announced anterior to Crystal's acquisition by Embracer - the poster kid for games manufacture layoffs since the lifting of Covid lockdown measures.

Embracer announced plans past twelvemonth to divided themselves 3 ways successful bid to marque much focussed usage of the companies and brands scooped up during their earlier, feckless play of expansion. Right now, the Tomb Raider licence is successful the hands of 1 of these firm spin-off entities, Middle-earth Enterprises.

Hope everybody leaving Crystal Dynamics this week finds safe, alternatively than cold, harbour elsewhere. Yes, this is different Severance reference. I apologise if I'm being gauche.