Greedfall Developer Terminates Majority of Animation Team

Layoffs at Spiders Games: A Look into Recent Industry Trends

In a recent announcement that has shaken the gaming community, Spiders, the studio behind Greedfall, has significantly reduced its animation workforce. Lead Animator Erwan Perrin shared this news via a LinkedIn post, stating:

Hey! We’ve recently been informed that, like most of the Industry, Spiders Games will proceed a layoff plan and sadly most of the Animation and Rig team will be affected …If you’re looking for some talented and passionate Paris-based Animator or a Rig Artist, hit me up.

This layoff is part of a troubling trend affecting the gaming industry, with major companies also feeling the financial squeeze. Warner Bros.has shut down Monolith Productions and Player First Games, while EA has announced layoffs affecting 300 to 400 employees across Respawn and Codemasters. Microsoft is not immune either, as it has shut down The Initiative and canceled an upcoming MMO project at ZeniMax Online Studios. Mid-sized developers like Supermassive are also facing similar fates, making the landscape increasingly precarious for game creators and their teams.

Challenges for Greedfall 2: The Dying World

The release of Greedfall 2: The Dying World has not gone as well as anticipated. Since its entry into early access, the game recorded a peak of only 375 concurrent players on Steam, and player engagement has sharply declined, with just 10 players logged during a recent peak session. User feedback has been largely unfavorable, reflected by an overall rating of 55%, and even lower scores (40%) for recent reviews.

One of the most heated points of contention among fans is the revamped combat system. The transition from the real-time action style of the first Greedfall to a tab-targeting system has drawn comparisons to classics such as Dragon Age: Origins and popular MMOs like World of Warcraft. Although Spiders has made efforts to refine the gameplay experience—with improvements in animations and sound design—the core mechanics have largely remained stale, leading to disappointment among the player base. It is regrettable, as the original Greedfall was celebrated for its engaging and robust action RPG elements, which had set high expectations for its sequel.

As industry trends continue to unfold, the gaming community will be watching closely to see how Spiders navigates these challenges and how Greedfall 2 adapts to feedback from its audience.

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