Splash Damage Faces Significant Workforce Reductions
UK-based game developer Splash Damage announced on Friday that it has laid off an undisclosed number of employees as part of a “studio-wide consultation process.”
“This was a difficult step for us to take, but we believe it is necessary for Splash Damage to remain agile and adaptable in what has been a very challenging market,” the company stated in a LinkedIn post. “We understand that this kind of change is emotionally tough, and we will do our best to support our team through this process with honesty and care. We’re committed to exploring every option to retain talent and ensuring those affected receive meaningful support throughout.”
The exact number of employees impacted by these layoffs remains unclear, but LinkedIn estimates the company’s workforce to be between 51 and 200, though these figures can often be inaccurate as employees may not consistently update their profiles.
Founded in 2001 by Paul Wedgwood, Richard Jolly, and Arnout van Meer, Splash Damage began its journey in game development within the early Quake 3 modding community, creating popular mods like Quake 3 Fortress. Initially, the company operated under the names Now TV and Gamer.tv, providing a platform for fan-made Quake 3 maps and in-game television production.
Splash Damage has developed several notable titles, including Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory, Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, Brink, Dirty Bomb, the multiplayer mode for Batman Arkham Origins, RAD Soldiers, and contributed multiplayer support for Gears of War 4, Gears of War Ultimate Edition, Gears 5, as well as the PC port of Halo: The Master Chief Collection and Gears Tactics. The company also had a publishing division called Warchest and a back-end technology business known as Fireteam.
In July 2016, Splash Damage was acquired by Chinese company Leyou, and at the end of 2020, it was sold to another Chinese firm—Tencent. Splash Damage remained a subsidiary of Tencent until 2025, when it was sold to a private group of equity investors.
