Singularity 6, the company creating the game Palia, has cut a large number of its staff. It’s been reported that about 35% of the team working on the game has been let go. While there is no fixed date for its full release yet, this is coming right before the Beta is expected to be released.
Singularity 6 sent a statement to IGN about the situation. The company confirmed the layoffs in this statement, highlighting their dedication to providing a top-notch experience with Palia. They said the decision was necessary for “long-term stability” and ensuring enough resources to support the game’s development. Singularity 6 promised to provide support services for those impacted, including severance packages and career guidance.
“Following Palia’s release on Steam, we evaluated the support needed to deliver the highest-quality gameplay service for long-term stability. We made the difficult decision to reduce our workforce, which impacted around 35 percent of our talented and hardworking team members. We value their contributions and are committed to supporting them throughout this process, including severance, work-placement and career guidance assistance, and retainment of all company-provided development equipment…”
Part of official statement
Palia became available for early access in October 2023 and later launched on Nintendo Switch in December. The game has received mixed feedback from players, which might have led the studio to downsize its staff. While the game shows potential, its “beta” phase suggests that more work is needed before the official release.
The job layoffs at Singularity 6 are not an isolated case. Many game studios have also experienced significant job cuts. This has sparked criticism about the sustainability of current industry practices, with calls for better and more stable work conditions for game developers.
The impact of these job cuts on Palia’s future path is uncertain. Although Singularity 6 has stated its dedication to the project, having a smaller team might cause delays or alterations in the scope of upcoming changes. This situation shows the risks and difficulties linked to game development, especially within the “live service” model, which has become more common in recent times.
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