Insomniac calls this week’s layoffs ‘a solemn and unprecedented moment’ for the studio

Insomniac Games has released a public statement in response to layoffs at the studio announced this week by parent company Sony Interactive Entertainment.

PlayStation said on Tuesday that it plans to lay off 900 employees worldwide, or about 8% of its workforce.

The move will include staff cuts at Spider-Man studio Insomniac and Last of Us developer Naughty Dog in the US.

PlayStation’s London Studio is being shut down, fellow UK developer Firesprite has been hit with layoffs, and Netherlands-based Horizon studio Guerrilla Games is reportedly cutting 10% of its workforce.

“Like several other teams across SIE and PlayStation Studios, Insomniac Games was impacted by yesterday’s layoffs,” the company said in a message published on X.

“There are no sufficient words to express our feelings about it. This is a solemn and unprecedented moment for our studio.

“We are focusing our energy on helping everyone affected through this challenging time. For those who are hiring, there are great people seeking new roles who made important contributions to Insomniac’s history. We’re extremely grateful for them and they will be missed.”

Sony claimed in October that Spider-Man 2 was the fastest selling PlayStation Studios game in history, having sold 2.5 million copies in its first 24 hours.

The PS5 exclusive went on to sell over five million copies during its first 11 days of availability, and 10 million by mid-February, taking lifetime series sales to 50 million units, according to Insomniac, which was founded in 1994 and was acquired by Sony in 2019.

Spider-Man 2‘s New Game+ update will be released on March 7. It will also introduce audio descriptions, plus the ability to change the time of day, swap tendril colours, and replay missions.

Further reading

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PlayStation Studios says it’s ‘reevaluating how we operate’, confirms cancelled games

Delivering online games, and launching on PC, “requires a different approach”

Commenting on Sony’s restructuring plans, PlayStation Studios head Hermen Hulst said the company was “reevaluating” how it operates and that the layoffs had resulted in the cancellation of unnamed game projects.

Sony reportedly cancelled a Twisted Metal live service game that had been in development at Firesprite as part of the restructuring plans.