11 Bit Studios Announces Employee Layoffs

11 Bit Studios, a well-known game development company based in Poland, has recently let go of an unspecified number of employees. According to an announcement on their website, they’ve decided to halt development on Project 8, which was intended to be their debut game specifically designed for consoles. This project kicked off back in 2018, and by 2024, it had a dedicated team of 37 working on it.

Up until now, the studio has invested a hefty PLN 48.4 million (approximately $11.8 million) into Project 8. However, after a comprehensive evaluation, they decided to pull the plug. The project seemed to have faced numerous hurdles, not least of which were the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our vision for Project 8 was ambitious—it was meant to be our first game tailored specifically for console players,” stated Przemysław Marszał, the president of the board at 11 Bit Studios. “Yet, its conception occurred in a market landscape that was quite different; back then, narrative-heavy, story-centric games attracted more interest.”

Marszał elaborated further, saying, “Whenever we assess a project, the Management Board looks at various factors such as the development progress, which includes internal assessments and independent reviews. Market analyses and the potential for sales and effective marketing also weigh in on our decisions. Unfortunately, our review in this instance highlighted persistent issues and challenges that demanded an extended timeline and a bigger budget—factors that, aligned with updated sales predictions reflecting the evolving market trends, cast serious doubts on the project’s financial feasibility.”