Australian game studio Halfbrick, best known for creating Fruit Ninja and Jetpack Joyride, has announced a sweeping round of staff redundancies, with 41 jobs set to be cut, plus ‘a number of engagements internationally’ set to end.
Taking to LinkedIn, the studio said it was ‘not a decision made lightly’ but one that was needed as the studio contends with ongoing headwinds in the industry.
Halfbrick announces redundancies – quick links
A difficult period for game developers worldwide
‘Like many studios, we are navigating a challenging period for the games industry, and we’ve had to make some hard choices about how we move forward,’ Halfbrick said. ‘These changes are driven by organisational and strategic priorities, not individual performance.’
‘The most important thing to say is this: the people affected by this decision have made meaningful contributions to Halfbrick. They have helped shape our games, supported our players and been an important part of this studio. We are sincerely grateful for everything they have brought to the company.’
Halfbrick underlined the impact of its employees’ contributions, and has thanked departing team members for their service. It has also encouraged any team that’s hiring to reach out, as the studio ‘has always cared deeply about the people [it brings] in, and there is exceptional talent among those now looking for their next opportunity.’
Those made redundant now enter a challenging jobs market, where stable opportunities are difficult to come by. In Australia, the industry is fairly well-supported by local funding bodies, with growth recently reported across states like Queensland and Western Australia, but this support remains challenged by the ongoing economic downturn globally.
What’s next for Halfbrick?
As shared on LinkedIn, the remaining staff at Halfbrick will now focus on ‘handling this transition with care, respect and genuine appreciation for the people who have contributed so much to Halfbrick.’
The studio is currently fresh off the release of the co-development project Bluey’s Quest for the Gold Pen, and it continues to service an array of mobile games.
ScreenHub: Bluey’s Quest for The Gold Pen launches for consoles in May
It’s also working on its Halfbrick+ social games ecosystem, which includes all of the studio’s most popular mobile games, alongside some new additions, with ongoing content and no ads when you subscribe. Based on recent updates, changes to this service are incoming, to ensure it better serves its audience.
Heading into the future, our thoughts are with those developers now out of work, in one of the toughest times for the global games industry yet.
Also on ScreenHub: Nacon delays big game showcase after declaring insolvency
Nacon has confirmed its previously-announced games showcase set for March has been delayed, and will now air later in May. The news follows confirmation of the tenured French publishing company’s insolvency, which was revealed in a filing made in late February. As we previously reported, Nacon recently filed for insolvency as a result of its majority shareholder, Bigben Interactive, failing to make a partial loan repayment in time, due to ‘an unexpected and late refusal by its banking pool’.
Nacon is currently in the process of restructuring its debt, with intentions to settle back into solvency and continue operation long-term. Given the slight delay – not outright cancellation – of Nacon’s big showcase, we do expect the company intends to continue with its overarching publishing plans.
‘Faced with a difficult economic environment for the company, we are choosing to focus our resources on upcoming releases and the development of our current games,’ the company said in a press release.
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