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Something Wicked Games, a studio founded in 2022 by ex-RPG veterans from Bethesda and Obsidian, has reportedly laid off most of its staff

Thick Thighs Save Lives

NeoGAF's Physical Games Advocate Extraordinaire

Mass layoffs have allegedly taken place at Something Wicked Games. Over the weekend, senior animator Eric Webb claimed the studio laid off "most of [our] staff."

Programmer Andrew Woloszyn and writer Jessica Sliwinski confirmed they were among those affected. "Even though it was short, I was lucky to work with such extremely talented people," wrote the former.

Layoffs are damaging for all studios, but it's particularly hard on newer developers. Many close down before they can get their debut title out the door.

Without a project to show for it, that staff is unable to add whatever they worked on to their portfolio, to say nothing of the cost of relocating fairly recently.

Something Wicked's brief history​

Something Wicked was founded in mid-2022 by Jeff Gardiner, Charles Staples and Ekram Rashid. All three previously worked on Bethesda titles such as Elder Scrolls Blades, Starfield, and Fallout 76.

Late last year, it added another Bethesda alum to its ranks in Will Shen. Shen joined as a lead content designer over a month after Starfield had released.
At the time of its announcement, Something Wicked was a 12-person team at work on the RPG Wyrdsong. It's presently unclear what the layoffs mean for that project.

Following the studio's reveal, Game Developer talked with Gardiner about building his own studio and his responsibility to his team, which can be read here.

Game Developer has reached out to Something Wicked and will update when a response is given.
 

DAHGAMING

Member
Dj Khaled Mtv Emas GIF by 2020 MTV EMA
 

Denton

Member
Should have at least tried crowdfunding, if they have something decent to show. If only to raise enough money to convince investors there was interest (or find out there isn't). Last resort, but still better than outright laying people off and (likely) closing.

I was curious about it, there aren't that many AAA RPGs.
 
Super crazy, Programmer Andrew Woloszyn only shared 1 month ago that he was hired to work for the company, how could they hire him and month later being part of the layoff (unless it was just that he didnt share before, although his profile mentions that he started on Jan 2024)
 

Laptop1991

Member
It's a shame that new studios shut down and lay off staff, but the tweet says Fallout New Vegas and Skyrim and the article then says Elder Scroll Blades, Starfield and Fallout 76, my disappointment wasn't so bad after reading that, those games are not the same for me.
 
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Labadal

Member
I am noticing a trend of studios that were on Sony press conferences, and not showing any gameplay getting closed.
 

Cyberpunkd

Member
Super crazy, Programmer Andrew Woloszyn only shared 1 month ago that he was hired to work for the company, how could they hire him and month later being part of the layoff (unless it was just that he didnt share before, although his profile mentions that he started on Jan 2024)
Management was banking on last minute funding to avoid closure, was operating as nothing was happening.
Last minute funding didn’t work, money ran out. Typical scenario.
 
I wonder with all those studios getting created by "veterans" of studio x, y and z, why not one of those is solely owned and funded by the employees. Veterans most probably earned much more than I do, so if they have not spent their past on gambling and women, they all should have enough money to fund themselves without any need for a big publisher and truly make something they all can agree on without some outside influence.

Same as the pathetic kickstarters where small gamers are asked to pay, basically bet on promises, for people that most likely have erarned their whole life a better paycheck than the average gamer.
 

Toots

Gold Member
AAA rpg by 12 person team? woot
Might be small for a normal team, but thoses 12 dudes are veterans of Obsidian, the most respected rpg studio of the industry (by people having not played their games for about 10 years), and have worked on AAAA behemoth such as Fallout 76, Starfield, and the elder scroll gaas.
More seriously, it is crazy how much people live by the achievements of others in this industry.
It would be like the filipino guy from journey (who replaced Steve Perry) taking credits for all their 80s hits.
 

lh032

I cry about Xbox and hate PlayStation.
Might be small for a normal team, but thoses 12 dudes are veterans of Obsidian, the most respected rpg studio of the industry (by people having not played their games for about 10 years), and have worked on AAAA behemoth such as Fallout 76, Starfield, and the elder scroll gaas.
More seriously, it is crazy how much people live by the achievements of others in this industry.
It would be like the filipino guy from journey (who replaced Steve Perry) taking credits for all their 80s hits.
12 person is not even enough for AA indie game o.o
 
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Ozriel

M$FT
I wonder with all those studios getting created by "veterans" of studio x, y and z, why not one of those is solely owned and funded by the employees. Veterans most probably earned much more than I do, so if they have not spent their past on gambling and women, they all should have enough money to fund themselves without any need for a big publisher and truly make something they all can agree on without some outside influence.

Same as the pathetic kickstarters where small gamers are asked to pay, basically bet on promises, for people that most likely have erarned their whole life a better paycheck than the average gamer.

You’re vastly overestimating game developer salary if you think the average veteran employee has millions of dollars in cash lying around.
 
Sucks. Funding must have fallen through at the last minute, as someone posted above, they recently hired people.

I know it's only a teaser trailer, but Wyrdsong had me hyped.

They probably never got funding and couldn't find a publisher. The announcement teaser was probably aimed at finding a publisher. Unsuccessfully, it seems.

Too bad!
 
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