It has been revealed that layoffs have begun at Ninja Theory, a Microsoft-owned game development studio known for the 『Hellblade』 series and other titles.
VGC, an international media outlet, has confirmed posts on LinkedIn by multiple staff members and reports that some employees have already lost their jobs or are facing redundancy.
Multiple staff members affected, including gameplay programmers and a technical director
Staff members who have revealed that they have lost their jobs or are facing redundancy include technical sound designerAlessio Mellina, gameplay programmer Katrin Mair, performance capture technical staff member Xoe Subari, and technical director Loong-Wei Ding.
It has also been confirmed that the impact extends to multiple job roles, including sound designers, senior technical artists, character artists, and principal sound designers.
As of now, neither Microsoft nor Ninja Theory has made an official announcement regarding these layoffs, and the total number of affected staff members remains unknown.
In a post onLinkedIn, Mair—who had been with Ninja Theory for about four years—reflected on how much he had learned and grown at the studio, while also expressing his regret at not being able to complete the project he was working on.
Two Agreements to Save the Studio Fell Through
Ninja Theory’s future had been uncertain as part of Microsoft’s ongoing restructuring of its Xbox business.
On September 22, Xbox announced an additional 268 job cuts along with a reorganization of its subsidiary studios. Regarding Ninja Theory, the company explained that “two agreements concerning the studio had fallen through.”
In response, Xbox stated that while it has begun discussions with employees regarding a potential closure of Ninja Theory, it will continue to explore other options.
Therefore, the closure of Ninja Theory itself has not yet been officially decided. With a series of reports from staff regarding resignations and layoffs, the actual impact on personnel has become apparent approximately two weeks after the announcement of the start of consultations.
No Official Announcement on the Future of the New Title “Senua”
Ninja Theory announced *Senua*, the latest installment in the *Hellblade* series, at the “Xbox Games Showcase 2026” held in June 2026.
The game is scheduled for release in 2027, but Microsoft has not made an official announcement regarding the impact of the recent layoffs and proposed studio closure on its development.
Ninja Theory is a British game development studio known for titles such as *Heavenly Sword*, *DmC: Devil May Cry*, *Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice*, and *Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II*. It became part of Microsoft in 2018.
