Layoffs continue to bombard the video game industry, with The Chinese Room the latest studio affected by corporate restructurings and broader economic changes. Known for the BAFTA-winning titles Everyone's Gone to the Rapture and Still Wakes the Deep, The Chinese Room is currently working on a sequel to the beloved RPG Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines. With the recent redundancy announcements, audiences have grown concerned whether these layoffs will have an impact on the upcoming vampire title and other games from the studio.
The video game industry has seen massive workforce reductions announced repeatedly, with major layoffs at AAA companies and financial struggles among smaller indie developers. This unfortunate trend was first noted in 2023 and ramped up in 2024, with many hoping 2025 would see greater stabilization across the industry. Sadly, yet another studio has seemingly been hit with the same complications that have impacted others over the past two years.
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As confirmed via a formal inquiry by Game Developer, The Chinese Room's parent company, Sumo Group, has made a round of layoffs in its recent restructuring efforts. Several employees have announced their own layoffs via LinkedIn, with at least nine former staffers speaking up on the matter. These include a technical producer and VFX artist, both of whom worked on Still Wakes the Deep and were both part of the development team for the upcoming Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2. Audiences have already voiced their support for the affected staff, with many shocked to hear of layoffs coming shortly after the recent Still Wakes the Deep DLC launch. At the time of writing, neither The Chinese Room nor Sumo Group have released a public announcement on the layoffs.
Video Game Developer Layoffs Continue to Worry Players
Players have shared their worries over the almost never-ending layoff announcements across the industry, with many concerned about the immediate and long-term impact on various titles. The current October 2025 launch window for Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 has already been brought into question following the layoffs by Sumo Group, and fans have shared their fears of potential support issues for other ongoing games. It is currently unknown if the release of Bloodlines 2 or other titles by The Chinese Room will be affected by these recent redundancies.
Developers and audiences alike remain wary of the future of the video game industry, as the trend of layoffs by game studios is unfortunately showing no signs of slowing. Some have shared optimistic outlooks on the industry, particularly after the successful launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, though it remains to be seen if broader improvements in hardware and game sales will have any positive impact on The Chinese Room and other studios.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 76 /100 Critics Rec: 70%
- Released
- June 18, 2024
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Sexual Themes, Use of Tobacco, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- The Chinese Room
- Publisher(s)
- Secret Mode
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
