Following mass firings from major organizations like Discord, Twitch, and Unity, Tiny Tina’s developers, Lost Boys Interactive have also been hit with layoffs. Unfortunately, January has been a black month for gaming due to the numerous layoffs, and the firings at Lost Boys Interactive were first talked about on LinkedIn, before we got confirmation from a producer at the studio.
Tiny Tina developers Lost Boys Interactive also hit with layoffs amid mass firings
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands Developer Lost Boys Interactive Hit With Layoffshttps://t.co/vgp5uGoPRS
— Insider Gaming (@InsiderGamingIG) January 13, 2024
Jared Pace, a former company producer, posted an update about his firing and how people have gotten familiar with “sizable portions” of layoffs. A couple of other workers who were fired took to social media to address their love and affection for the people within the organization. They said, “If you see anyone from Lost Boys looking for work, grab them immediately. They are the most amazing group of artists I’ve ever worked with.” Yet, this firing has flown under the radar in comparison to that of Discord or even Twitch.
Who are Lost Boys Interactive and what games have they made?
Lost Boys Interactive is a subsidiary of Gearbox Software. Gearbox is well known for developing and publishing a variety of games. Most prominently, Gearbox is the creator behind the popular Borderlands and Duke Nukem franchises. In April of 2022, Lost Boys Interactive were acquired by Gearbox after the former helped in producing Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands. In a broader perspective, Gearbox itself is a subsidiary of the Embracer Group.
Aside from producing Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, Lost Boys Interactive have contributed to games such as The Quiet Man and Diablo IV which has been a blockbuster success. Nevertheless, they have always flown under the radar since they are a subsidiary of a major developer.
Why was this layoff necessary?
Aside from the growing trend in layoffs these days, this one was bound to happen for one reason only, the budget. Lost Boys Interactive had employed 400 people shortly before the layoffs were announced. Clearly, these many hirings can hit an unstable ground with upper management considering they are subsidized and not independent. That is why, going over budget is a huge problem for most studios. Additionally an absence of projects and proper resource utilization also hampers cashflow further inviting financial issues.
