Update (6/11/24): Timbre Games, a subsidiary of Sumo Group, has been completely shut down.
now former employees the news was passed on from the studio LinkedInwith a leading talent partner Jacqueline Adair finding that 80 people were injured.
“We stood up for our beliefs and values and quickly made our mark in the industry,” she wrote. “We had fun together and bonded closely. We have not been without pain, but we have faced them head on, transparently, together.”
The timbre swirled 2021 year, and served as an extension of Pipeworks Studios. Led by EA alumnus Joe Nichols, the Vancouver studio aimed to create action and simulation games
Of the closings of Timbre and other studios, Ader said they “serve only as a short-term investment and will degrade the quality and availability of talent in the industry in the long term.”
“These large-scale changes in the industry,” she concluded, “cannot remain without consequences.” […] I encourage anyone who has been laid off in this industry to try not to let this ridiculous phase dim their light. You are amazing, you are worthy.’
Original story: The Sumo group plans to lay off 15 percent of its staff at various subsidiaries. Although the exact figure was not given, the company said that it will affect offices in Canada, Poland, India, the Czech Republic and the UK.
In its announcement, Sumo said the current challenges in the games industry and “change in operations across the business” had an impact. These cuts are allegedly being made despite “every alternative route” being considered.
“This is an incredibly complex process for everyone at Sumo to go through,” it reads. “Our focus is now on supporting our people and working with our partners on their games as we move forward to ensure we emerge from this difficult time ready for the future.”
The Sheffield-based Sumo Group, a subsidiary of Tencent, is primarily known for its offshoots such as Sumo Digital, Chinese room and the Nottingham team. Many of its studios work as co-developers of other projects.
Long track record of Sumo developers
Sumo has collaborated with Sega, Gearbox and Codemasters on their games over the years. Additionally, Sumo Digital handled full development duties Acceleration 3 and Sackboy: The Great Adventure for Xbox and Sony respectively.
More recently, Sumo Nottingham has given way to development The Texas Chainsaw Massacre to the Black Tower. Nottingham was originally developing the multiplayer horror game, but it’s unclear what (or when) she’ll be working on next.
It’s worth noting that these layoffs come just a day after Sumo’s launch new projects at the Summer Games Fest. His “busy weekend” included first looks at Critter Cafe from secret mode, Sumo Digital’s Death Imprint 66, and more.