Ninja Theory Faces Layoffs as Studio Struggles After Failed Deals

Ninja Theory, the team behind Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice and Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, seems to be initiating layoffs after two potential deals to secure the studio’s future fell through.

As reported, several former employees took to LinkedIn this morning to share that their positions were at risk of redundancy or that they were exploring new job opportunities.

“It’s incredibly sad knowing that we won’t get to finish what we were working on,” expressed gameplay programmer Katrin Mair. “So much care, talent, and effort went into it, and I really wish we’d had the chance to see what it could have become.”

“Ninja Theory has been some of the best years of my life, but sadly it is time to say goodbye,” shared performance capture technician Rachel Kimber. “I can’t express enough the amazing people I have been able to work with over the last 4 and a half years. It has been such a pleasure, and I have made friends for life.”

Ninja Theory has been around in various forms since 2000, transitioning from independence to ownership and back to being an independent studio before being acquired by Xbox in 2018. While it has worked on several projects, it is most recognized for the Hellblade series, starting with the critically acclaimed Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. Its sequel, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, launched in 2024 and received praise, though not quite as overwhelming as its predecessor, and analysts suggest it may have faced challenges in sales, despite being reasonably popular on Xbox Game Pass.

Just four months ago, during Xbox’s summer showcase, Ninja Theory unveiled a new game simply titled Senua. Reports indicate this reveal aimed to attract potential buyers for the studio after Xbox decided to part ways with Ninja Theory as part of a significant restructuring plan that will result in approximately 3,200 job losses over the year. Unfortunately, last month, Xbox announced that two deals to save Ninja Theory had fallen through, leading the studio to enter the UK’s consultation process ahead of mass layoffs and a likely shutdown.

Other studios, including Double Fine, Undead Labs, Compulsion Games, and Arkane Lyon, were also reported to be undergoing various separation processes from Xbox at this time. The first three have since become fully independent, with Double Fine and Undead Labs experiencing layoffs as part of that transition. Arkane is currently in consultation as well.