Hangar 13, the development studio famed for the Mafia series, has recently suffered yet another round of staff layoffs.
As reported by Kotaku, the studio, which is spread across three locations, is set to lose another 50 members of staff. This follows the recent resignation of studio head Haden Blackman, as well as other job losses at the end of last year. It was around that time that publisher 2K cancelled the team's major new game, reportedly a co-op shooter codenamed Volt.
When Mafia III shipped in 2016, Hangar 13 consisted of around 200 employees; following these new layoffs, the headcount will be around 40. Those that are staying on will reportedly be working on a new Mafia game — rumoured to be a prequel — as well as a revival of the Top Spin tennis franchise, according to Kotaku.
In a statement on the layoffs, 2K assures it's "fully committed to the future of Hangar 13 as the studio navigates a challenging but ultimately promising transition period". The publisher says it will be helping "impacted employees to find them new roles on other projects and teams at 2K, and are providing full support to those who cannot be redeployed, connecting them with industry networks and resources to find new opportunities outside of 2K".
We'd like to wish all those affected by the layoffs all the best in what has clearly been a tumultuous time.
[source kotaku.com, via eurogamer.net]
Comments 16
Because layoffs are exactly what a studio needs when there’s reportedly 2 projects they’re involved with. And of course it’ll be their faults if the games aren’t perfect, not 2K’s.
Maybe they quit. I imagine that making a game as boring and repetitive as Mafia 3 isn't very fun. Soul draining.
Mafia 3 already sucked when they had 200 people working on it, I mean they couldn't even get mirrors right.
How is this going to turn out any way except bad?
@sonicmeerkat while true, the recent remake was very good.
@sonicmeerkat
Agreed. I loved Mafia 1 and 2, but 3 is still buggy as hell and repetetive to boot.
i think mafia 3 was a great game but there's no possible way 2k needs to lay people off with the money they make just from nba 2k alone theyre the ones paying the bills and expecting a great game they need more people
Bah. Keep ‘em staffed. Let ‘em work on a badminton game called “Top Flight Badminton” (with the word “flight” used as a play on words…it describes the three different shuttlecock types, called “flights”: the green is slow, the blue is middle-fast, and red is fast).
Also, we need a pickleball game, a professional tag game, a corn hole game, a bocce game, and a croquet game. Heck, do it like the Dark Pictures Anthology—one game released every 6-9 months—and have ‘em bundled under a “2K Sports League” brand. $$$
Just close shop already, Mafia III was putrid garbage and nigh unplayable at launch with issues persisting to this day. The remake didn't do the original justice, and every other project of this studio that had details leaked sounded just as bad.
The Mafia series should have stayed with Vávra and the original developers.
Well at least there’s gunna be less Volt and more Mafia. Absolutely loved the Mafia series so far and can’t wait for another instalment. Super engaging and my god they know how to make interesting characters. Especially lead characters. They’re really quite exquisite
@Golem25 I'd disagree with your thoughts on the remake not doing the original justice. I played the remake a long time ago and really loved it overall. Great voice acting and the character models looked very good.
Good riddance. The state they left Mafia 3 in after update 1.12 I hope they collapse.
@nessisonett story's written? Lay off the writers. Graphics done? Lay off the artists. Programming done? Lay off the programmers? Profit coming in? All goes to the CEO.
See, makes perfect sense that you'd lay off the workers the closer you get to release.
That's crazy - 200 employees down to 40. Though I really hope the next Mafia game is not actually a prequel. Like, prequel to what? Mafia was set in the 1930s, Mafia II right after WWII, and Mafia 3 in the 60s. Would it be prohibition era? Honestly, I'd prefer a continuation of Lincoln Clay's story in the 1980s, set in a different city
Here's hoping they are still making a Mafia 4...
@Golem25 it was some Swiss 2K studio that did Mafia 2, which was IMO the best one. Wish they had a chance to do 3 and continue Vito’s story. Sadly they got closed
Currently going through mafia 1 on ps4, it surprises me in a very positive way. It was never really on my radar, but it has everything a good videogame should offer: fun shallow action set in a great looking background combined with a story that sucks you in and featuring a bunch of top characters.
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