Unity announces company "reset" as it lets go 265 employees, ends agreement with Lord of the Rings VFX studio
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Unity has announced another wave of layoffs as it ends its agreement with Lord of the Rings VFX studio as part of a company “reset,” according to its current CEO.
We heard that this could be a possibility earlier this month, as it was reported thatthe developer is “likely” facing layoffsafter announcing its controversial Unity install fee. In the company’sthird-quarter financial earnings report, it was revealed that Unity will likely be “reducing [its] workforce” in the next fiscal quarter. As well as the layoffs, Reuters also reveals that the software company will also be closing offices in 14 locations, including Berlin and Singapore.
In case you missed it, Unity’s plan to charge developers each time their game is installed (after a certain threshold) was met withwidespread criticismfrom developers, players, and other members of the gaming community. Many studios, specifically indie developers, voiced their concerns and frustrations with the new fee - causingUnity to promise changesbut is yet to scrap the plan altogether.
In more positive news, Weta recently announced it was working with publisher Private Division to create a “cozy” and “heartwarming” Lord of the Rings game calledTales of the Shire. It’s still a ways off from release, but if its wholesome teaser trailer is anything to go by, we could be getting some kind of laid-back sim game set in Middle-earth.
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After studying Film Studies and Creative Writing at university, I was lucky enough to land a job as an intern at Player Two PR where I helped to release a number of indie titles. I then got even luckier when I became a Trainee News Writer at GamesRadar+ before being promoted to a fully-fledged News Writer after a year and a half of training. My expertise lies in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, cozy indies, and The Last of Us, but especially in the Kingdom Hearts series. I’m also known to write about the odd Korean drama for the Entertainment team every now and then.
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