Star Wars Eclipse Developer Faces Criticism Over Prolonged Layoff Talks: ‘Quantic Dream Must Compensate for Job Losses’

A French union group is pushing for another strike against Quantic Dream as discussions regarding around 115 layoffs continue at the developer of Star Wars Eclipse. These job cuts were triggered by the disappointing performance of Spellcasters Chronicles, which was hastily released on Steam earlier this year as parent company NetEase pulls back from AAA gaming. The union is now criticizing the studio, known for Detroit: Beyond Human, for being inadequate in its severance offers to the affected developers.

The French union section STJV highlighted in a recent blog post that Quantic Dream, as a subsidiary of NetEase, is in a position to provide more generous layoff packages. “Their relentless pursuit of cost-cutting has led to a situation where the compensation offered is less than what our colleagues received at Don’t Nod, a studio with far less financial backing. It’s appalling to find ourselves in this position. If Quantic Dream is intent on eliminating jobs, they must compensate fairly.”

Don’t Nod is also reportedly experiencing financial difficulties following the mixed reception of the sci-fi adventure Aphelion earlier this year. Their primary investor, Tencent, has allegedly withdrawn its support, leaving the studio in a vulnerable state as it heads into 2026. However, STJV asserts that recently laid-off employees at Don’t Nod received better severance packages than those at Quantic Dream, despite the latter’s backing from NetEase.

Both Chinese conglomerates have been scaling back their investments in AAA gaming, resulting in canceled projects and studio closures. Yet, STJV has directed most of its criticism toward Quantic Dream’s leadership, specifically CEO Guillaume de Fondaumière and chief creative director David Cage. “Regarding how workers’ concerns are addressed: while executives attempt to prevent worker representatives from communicating with employees about the ongoing negotiations, they do not hesitate to spread misinformation within the company,” the union stated.

The union added, “In recent months, they have failed to acknowledge any of their shortcomings, even the most apparent ones. Instead, David ‘Cage’ de Gruttola has boasted about how fortunate the soon-to-be laid-off workers were to be involved in the project, as if working under him were a privilege. Is this how one shows respect to those who generate the value that the company exploits?”

Despite assertions that these layoffs could delay Star Wars Eclipse, Quantic Dream insists that development is proceeding as planned for the game first announced nearly five years ago. “As previously mentioned, the development of Star Wars Eclipse remains unaffected by the recent closure of Spellcasters Chronicles, a decision made due to the challenging market conditions in that segment,” a Quantic Dream spokesperson stated. “The development of Star Wars Eclipse is continuing as scheduled, with the full commitment of its team and all necessary resources to achieve its goals.”