Crytek, the renowned developer behind the Crysis series, has recently announced layoffs that will affect 60 out of its 400 employees. In a statement shared on Twitter, the company cited the need to remain financially sustainable despite the growth of their game, Hunt: Showdown. The decision comes after Crytek put the development of Crysis 4 on hold in late 2024 and attempted to reassign staff to Hunt: Showdown, aiming to reduce costs and operating expenses. Despite these efforts, the layoffs became "inevitable," impacting 15% of the workforce across various development teams and shared services. Crytek has committed to providing severance packages to those affected.
In a detailed statement, Crytek's founder, Avni Yerli, elaborated on the situation, acknowledging the challenging market dynamics affecting the gaming industry. He emphasized the company's efforts to shift developers to Hunt: Showdown 1896 and the continued growth of the game. However, he noted that even with these adjustments, Crytek could not continue operating as before without compromising financial sustainability. The company remains committed to the future of Hunt: Showdown 1896 and plans to expand and evolve the game while continuing to support their engine, CRYENGINE.
Last year, leaks surfaced about a battle royale-inspired Crysis project codenamed Crysis Next, with early gameplay footage showing third-person shooting in a basic arena setting, featuring Crysis' signature abilities and sound effects. Crytek never officially announced Crysis Next, and the project was ultimately canceled in favor of Crysis 4, which was announced in January 2022.
The Crysis franchise, known for its first-person sci-fi shooter gameplay, impressive visuals, and unique nanosuit powers, has been a benchmark for PC performance since the release of the first game in 2007. The series' demanding nature led to the popular phrase, "But can it run Crysis?" used to gauge a computer's capabilities. The last mainline entry, Crysis 3, was released in February 2013, and while remasters of the original games have been released, updates on Crysis 4 have been scarce since its announcement three years ago.
