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[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

On Friday, layoffs hit Lost Boys Interactive, a Gearbox-owned developer that employed over 400 people. While the full scope of the layoffs remains unclear, former employees are saying a “sizable” portion of the company was let go and describing what happened today as “massive” layoffs.

Numerous ex-Lost Boys employees have taken to LinkedIn to share the regrettable news.

“It seems a sizable portion of Lost Boys Interactive was laid off today, including myself,” wrote Jared Pace, a producer at Lost Boys. “Still trying to understand the scope of it all, but sadly this is a song and dance we're all familiar with.”

Pace told Aftermath that layoffs “affected all disciplines at all levels.” As of this publishing, Gearbox and Embracer have not replied to Aftermath’s inquiries about the total number of employees impacted.

Lost Boys Interactive was founded in 2017 and has contributed to games like Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, Diablo IV, and The Quiet Man. In 2022 it was acquired by Borderlands creator Gearbox, at which point it boasted a headcount of over 220. Gearbox nearly doubled Lost Boys’ size prior to today’s layoffs. But much has changed since 2022: Embracer, which owns Gearbox, bet the house on a $2 billion deal with a Saudi investment group that fell through in 2023. Ever since, its many, many properties have been hit by layoffs on a near-monthly basis.

Multiple laid-off Lost Boys workers described the company as a great place to work and lamented this sudden, unceremonious conclusion.

“It was an absolutely fantastic time full of challenges and beautiful friendships,” wrote Spicer McElroy, former art director at Lost Boys. “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.”

Employees Say ‘Sizable Portion’ Of Gearbox-Owned Studio Has Been Laid Off - Aftermath

"All disciplines at all levels" have been impacted

aftermath.site

 

[winjer]

Embracer....

 

[struggler_guts]

"In 2022 it was acquired by Borderlands creator Gearbox, at which point it boasted a headcount of over 220. Gearbox nearly doubled Lost Boys’ size prior to today’s layoffs."

Goddamn that's some crazy bloat. Would be extremely upset as an employee watching over 100 people getting hired in a year and then massive layoffs right after.

Hope they all find work quickly though, I'm sure it was a dream job for many.

 

[kruis]

Embracer is living by Microsoft's old motto: it embraced too many studios, extended too much and is not being extinguished by crippling debts.

 

[Rick Dangerous]

Lost Boys, as the demoscene Amiga group ?

 

[CamHostage]

Lost Boys, as the demoscene Amiga group ?

Heh, no, but that would be cool if they had roots that deep.

Also not the same Lost Boys that made Dizzy's Candy Quest before it formed the foundation of what became Sony's Guerrilla.

 

[adamsapple]

It's only Jan 2024 and we've already reached almost the same amount of lay-offs in the entirety of 2023.

 

[MiguelItUp]

JUST found out another buddy of mine was let go, ugh. This all really sucks.