Surgeon Simulator, I am Bread Dev Bossa Studios Hit with Layoffs

The latest studio to be affected by layoffs is London-based Bossa Studio, the developer behind the outrageous Surgeon Simulator and the surreal I Am Bread. A third of the studio's headcount has reportedly been let go following a "perfect storm" of woes that led to the unhappy decision.

GamesIndustry.biz reports that 19 staff were let go, with around 40 remaining to work on Lost Skies, a cooperative survival adventure game for 1-6 players currently in development. Co-founder Henrique Olifiers said the layoffs were due to a "perfect storm" of events precipitated by a glut of AAA releases in 2023, which pulled focus from AA and indie tiles. Coupled with rising operational costs and delayed funding decisions across the industry, it led to a state of affairs which Olifiers described as a "difficult situation we, as developers, are struggling to brave."

Bossa Studios is doing everything it can to support those affected, advocating for the employees and writing: "We often say that making games is hard, but nothing is harder than seeing people you admire being let go. Ultimately, we tried our very best to avoid being in this position, and we're truly sorry for where we have landed."

As always, our best to all the employees affected. We hope everyone lands on their feet and that the dire economic situation in the industry stabilizes soon.