Hi-Rez Studios Announces Layoffs as Part of Strategic Shift Toward Smite 2
The video game industry continues to face challenges in 2023, with yet another wave of layoffs. On October 1, Hi-Rez Studios CEO Stewart Chisam announced the “difficult but necessary” decision to lay off an unspecified number of employees. The layoffs come after a strategic review and affect multiple divisions across the company, including marketing, publishing, and several of Hi-Rez’s game teams.
Chisam explained that the layoffs will disproportionately impact employees working on cosmetic skin content, system features, and roles in divisions like Evil Mojo and Titan Forge. Evil Mojo is responsible for Paladins, while Titan Forge develops Smite games. Hi-Rez’s general and administration (G&A) division also faced cuts.
This restructuring comes as Hi-Rez refocuses its efforts almost entirely on Smite 2, which launched in early access in August. The company will continue to provide light updates for Paladins and Smite 1, but future development will prioritize Smite 2 gameplay improvements, such as new modes and characters, over cosmetic and monetization features.
Smite 2 has seen mixed early reviews, with some criticism of its lack of accessibility for newcomers and its competition in the MOBA landscape, particularly with Valve’s new game Deadlock. While Smite 2 has attracted a decent player base in early access, its numbers still trail behind the original Smite, signaling some reluctance among players to fully transition to the new game.
Chisam acknowledged the human toll of the layoffs, expressing regret and taking responsibility for the decision, though specifics on how he plans to take accountability were not shared. Despite the cuts, Chisam remains optimistic, stating that the changes are necessary for Hi-Rez’s long-term success and thanking the affected employees for their dedication.
The layoffs at Hi-Rez Studios are the latest in a string of industry-wide job losses throughout 2023, reflecting ongoing challenges faced by game developers and publishers.