Crysis 4 ‘On Hold’ as Developer Crytek Announces Layoffs Affecting Up to 60 Staff
Crytek, the renowned game developer behind the Crysis series, has announced a difficult decision: laying off approximately 60 employees, representing 15% of its 400-person workforce. This restructuring, affecting development teams and shared services, comes despite the continued growth of Hunt: Showdown.
In a statement from founder Avni Yerli, Crytek cited challenging market conditions as the primary driver for this action. Following the decision to put Crysis 4 on hold in Q3 2024 and subsequent efforts to reallocate staff to Hunt: Showdown, cost-cutting measures proved insufficient to maintain financial stability. The company emphasized its commitment to providing severance packages and career assistance to affected employees.
Yerli's statement highlights the company's continued dedication to Hunt: Showdown, describing it as a "very strong gaming service" and reaffirming its commitment to ongoing development and expansion. Crytek also plans to continue developing its CRYENGINE.
This news follows the previously unrevealed cancellation of a battle royale-inspired Crysis project, codenamed Crysis Next. Footage leaked online in the past showcased third-person gameplay, but the project was ultimately scrapped in favor of Crysis 4, which was officially announced in January 2022. Since then, updates on Crysis 4 have been scarce.
The Crysis franchise, known for its groundbreaking graphics and iconic nanosuit abilities, holds a special place in gaming history. The original Crysis, released in 2007, became a PC benchmark, giving rise to the popular phrase "But can it run Crysis?" While Crysis 3 was released in 2013, and remasters of earlier titles have been released, fans eagerly await further news on the long-awaited Crysis 4.
