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Supermassive Games Layoffs: Former Director Says More Than 70 Staff Are Leaving

By Freedom251 Team · · 2 min read

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More than 70 people are leaving Supermassive Games, according to a statement posted on October 5, 2026, by the studio’s former IT and facilities director, Frank Tindle. The figure follows the company’s August announcement of a redundancy consultation it expected could affect up to 75 colleagues. Those are separate, differently attributed figures: Supermassive’s number was a forecast, while Tindle’s was his account of departures. The reporting reviewed does not establish a final total confirmed by the company.

What happened at Supermassive Games?

On August 11, Supermassive said it had begun a redundancy consultation that it anticipated would result in up to 75 colleagues losing their jobs. The studio described the move as necessary to help ensure the company’s sustainability and said supporting affected people was its priority during the process. PC Gamer reported the announcement and its stated rationale; Game Informer reproduced the company’s statement.

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On October 5, Tindle wrote on LinkedIn that more than 70 people were leaving. PC Gamer and Video Games Chronicle reported his post the same day and the following day, respectively. PC Gamer’s October 5 report and VGC’s October 6 report attribute the more-than-70 figure to Tindle, not to a new company announcement.

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How many people were affected?

Figure Who said it What it describes
Up to 75 colleagues Supermassive Games, August 11, 2026 The anticipated outcome of a redundancy consultation, not a confirmed final count. PC Gamer
More than 70 people Frank Tindle, October 5, 2026 His account of colleagues leaving the studio, as reported by PC Gamer and VGC.

The figures are broadly consistent, but they are not interchangeable. The available reports do not provide a definitive final total confirmed by Supermassive, a complete remaining headcount, or a breakdown of departures by role.

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Which roles did Tindle say were affected?

Tindle’s post described colleagues across developers, artists, producers, quality assurance (QA), operations and other areas. He also said his own role had been at risk and that October 5 was his last day after 16 years at the studio, according to VGC’s account. The reports do not give a complete list of affected employees or roles.

Why is Supermassive making cuts?

The company’s stated reason in August was that the consultation was a necessary step to help ensure Supermassive’s sustainability. The reporting cited here does not establish a more specific cause or quantify the round’s financial impact.

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Supermassive released Directive 8020 on May 12, 2026, before the August consultation announcement. Game Informer lists the game for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC. Its timing is reported alongside the consultation announcement, but the sources do not demonstrate that the game’s performance caused the job cuts.

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How this fits Supermassive’s recent history

Supermassive is a British studio based in Guildford, Surrey, known for Until Dawn and The Dark Pictures Anthology. VGC notes that Bandai Namco published the first four Dark Pictures games, while Supermassive self-published Directive 8020. VGC’s report provides this studio context.

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VGC also reported that more than 30 developers were made redundant in July 2025 and linked that round to a delay of Directive 8020. Other coverage has referred to a separate 2024 round. Because the available accounts do not reconcile the rounds or their counting methods, they should not be added together to produce a cumulative layoff total.

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Directive 8020Gaming IndustrylayoffsSupermassive Games

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