Crystal Dynamics Lays Off 20 in Fourth Round of Cuts

Crystal Dynamics, the studio behind the Tomb Raider franchise, announced on Wednesday that it is laying off 20 employees, marking the fourth round of workforce reductions in the past 12 months. The cuts affect staff in development and central operations roles, as the company adjusts its team structure amid ongoing project transitions.

In a statement posted on LinkedIn, the studio described the decision as challenging, particularly following a major restructuring last year. "This is a difficult day for our studio, and we never make these decisions lightly," the post stated. It explained that as current projects advance into new development phases, the company is reviewing its organization to align with long-term goals. "While we always strive to transition our people into new roles whenever possible, we have unfortunately reached a point where these departures are necessary," the statement continued. Crystal Dynamics emphasized its gratitude for the affected employees' contributions, noting that they will receive severance pay and job placement assistance to aid their transitions.

The layoffs come after three prior rounds at the studio. In March of last year, 17 employees were...