Crytek Job Cuts 'Halt' Crysis 4 Development

Crytek Announces Layoffs Affecting 15% of its Workforce

Crytek, the developer behind the Crysis series and Hunt: Showdown, has announced layoffs impacting approximately 60 employees, representing 15% of its 400-person staff. The decision, announced via a tweet and statement from founder Avni Yerli, cites challenging market conditions and the need for financial sustainability.

Despite the growth of Hunt: Showdown, Crytek stated that continued operation at its previous scale was unsustainable. Following the postponement of Crysis 4 development in Q3 2024 and efforts to transition staff to Hunt: Showdown, cost-cutting measures proved insufficient, making layoffs unavoidable. Affected employees will receive severance packages and career support.

Yerli's full statement emphasizes Crytek's commitment to Hunt: Showdown's continued growth and evolution, along with the ongoing development of its CRYENGINE. The statement acknowledges the difficult decision and expresses appreciation for the hard work of its employees.

The layoffs affect various development teams and shared services within Crytek.

The news follows the previously unannounced and subsequently canceled Crysis Next project, a battle royale-inspired title that leaked online in early gameplay footage. This project was ultimately scrapped in favor of Crysis 4, which was announced in January 2022 but has seen limited updates since.

The Crysis franchise, known for its visually stunning graphics and demanding system requirements (famously summarized by the phrase "But can it run Crysis?"), hasn't seen a mainline entry since Crysis 3 in 2013. While Crytek has released remasters of earlier titles, the future of Crysis 4 remains uncertain following this recent development.