Schell Games, co-developer of Among Us 3D and studio behind the I Expect You to Die series, has reportedly laid off staff.
According to a report by Game Developer, multiple LinkedIn posts from employees at the studio describing layoffs that began last Friday.
“Schell Games had their first ever layoffs today,” wrote the studio’s principal engineering manager, who said they had not been let go themselves.
“This has happened not because of anything you did or did not do. Our industry (and beyond) right now is hemorrhaging.”
Marketing director Dwayne Waite Jr. also confirmed the cuts hit the marketing team and named four affected employees, while the studio’s senior public relations manager shared further names from the art, design, and visual effects departments.
Based on the posts, it’s thought 14 people have been affected in total. The company’s own LinkedIn profile says it employs between 51-200 people.
“I won’t pretend this isn’t a disappointing way to end this chapter, especially after almost 6 years,” the public relations manager wrote. “But I’m walking away proud of what I accomplished during my time with the company, and I’m grateful for the people I got to build with.”
The layoffs come despite Schell Games CEO and founder Jesse Schell’s long-standing public stance against job cuts.
In a 2024 interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Schell said the studio treats financial risk as separate from risk to its staff.
“At the heart of it all is choosing not to put jobs at risk,” Schell said at the time. “We’ll put cash at risk when we make a game, but we don’t put jobs at risk.
“Even if our own IP brings in zero dollars, we still haven’t put any jobs at risk – we still have a path forward where we’ll be able to keep people on. So, in a lot of ways, it’s a choice.”
GamesIndustry.biz has reached out to Schell Games for comment.