The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria developer Free Vary Video games has reportedly laid off your entire growth crew of an unannounced sport, which totaled round 80 staff.
Through LinkedIn, a number of builders shared the information and introduced their job searches over the previous week. This consists of senior UX/UI designer Quinn Lee, senior technical narrative designer James Binns, govt producer Jacob Van Rooyen, quest designer Tracy Runanin-Telle, and senior producers Adrienne Daniel and Joseph Knox.
“On Monday, the venture I have been engaged on for the final 4 years was pulled from our arms, and our complete growth crew was laid off,” Lee wrote. “We’re all saddened, off-balance, however most of all, seeking to the longer term.”
Knox stated that the venture had “its writer pull funding,” which has affected “80 devs.” Daniel additionally talked about this determine of their farewell submit. Runanin-Telle’s profile mentions an unannounced venture, during which the designer did “content material creation for a number of quests in an open-world setting,” amidst a myriad of different duties.
Free Vary Video games is but to make an announcement acknowledging the most recent reported layoffs. Two weeks in the past, no less than 5 builders wrote a submit saying they have been now in search of new work alternatives. 4 of them used the identical messaging, which reads as follows: “Hello everybody! I’m in search of a brand new function and would admire your assist. For those who hear of any alternatives or simply need to catch up, please ship me a message or remark beneath.”
Shortly after, certainly one of them, lead quest designer Adam Alim, wrote, “right here we’re once more with the layoffs,” sharing particulars about their previous expertise alongside a portfolio.
Free Vary Video games beforehand laid off staff in April 2025
In keeping with the corporate’s LinkedIn profile, there are no less than 117 staff related to it. The reported layoffs mark the second time the corporate has let go of staff this 12 months. The primary occurred three months in the past, which the studio introduced by way of social media.
The corporate did not disclose the precise variety of staff affected within the earlier layoffs, nevertheless it did say that “a few of them” had “chosen to share their profiles” together with the announcement. The record included 13 individuals throughout a number of departments.
The studio is at present engaged on a web based skateboarding sport known as Wrekless, which is about to launch “quickly” on Steam Early Entry. It is unclear if that is the venture that was reportedly shut down. The studio has beforehand served as an exterior developer on video games like The Callisto Protocol and Oddworld: Soulstorm.
Recreation Developer has reached out to Free Vary Video games for touch upon the matter.
