Months of financial burdens have finally caught up with Crytek.
Crytek, the studio best known for their work on the Crysis franchise, have announced that they will be closing several branches of their studio.
Crytek's Hungary, South Korea, Bulgaria, Turkey, and China divisions will be ceasing operations as part of the studio's attempt to "refocus on its core strengths of developing innovative games and game-development technology." The studio's Frankfurt and Kiev locations will now serve as Crytek's principal places of operation as the remaining members of the operation "continue to develop and work on premium IPs."
"Undergoing such transitions is far from easy, and we’d like to sincerely thank each and every staff member – past and present – for their hard work and commitment to Crytek," said Crytek co-founder Avni Yerli. "These changes are part of the essential steps we are taking to ensure Crytek is a healthy and sustainable business moving forward that can continue to attract and nurture our industry’s top talent."
This announcement caps off what has arguably been the worst year in the company's history. Crytek employees have been reporting throughout 2016 that they have not regularly received promised paychecks, which is a problem that has plagued the studio in the past. Internal reports suggested that the company has been selling off certain properties in an effort to recoup some of the losses they experienced following a string of failed releases, but those efforts don't appear to have been enough.
It's not currently known exactly how many employees will be laid off as a result of these closures, but Crytek has announced that they have "put plans into action to secure jobs and to ensure a smooth transition and stable future" for those affected by the decision.
We wish those who lost their jobs due to these closures, as well as those who must now adjust to the new structure of Crytek, the best of luck moving forward.
