In yet another blow to industry workers, Embracer Group has announced more layoffs at Lost Boys Interactive, a subsidiary of Gearbox Software. Lost Boys Interactive provided support work on the Borderlands spin-off Tiny Tina's Wonderlands, but the studio is now facing the ax with multiple departments set to lose staff.

A Swedish holding company, Embracer Group has a dozen subsidiary groups across various facets of video games and media. Last year, Embracer ordered multiple large-scale layoffs and shutdowns, resulting in thousands of lost jobs by the end of 2023. While fans were hopeful that the cutbacks would come to an end, Embracer has announced yet another studio to be hit with layoffs.

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Even More Embracer Studios Hit With Layoffs

Even more Embracer Group studios are hit with layoffs as the gaming giant continues its aggressive cost-cutting efforts, which started back in spring.

First shared by Windows Central, employees at Lost Boys Interactive have begun reporting that the studio is the latest to be hit with major layoffs. Lost Boys Interactive helped Gearbox Software with the development of Tiny Tina's Wonderlands, which proved a critical and commercial success. However, Embracer is continuing its cost-cutting efforts, and the Tiny Tina developers are revealing layoffs across the design, production, and quality assurance departments, among others. There is currently no official confirmation on the number of employees expected to be let go, but many of those affected have begun sharing the news on LinkedIn and other social media sites. After previous rumors of Embracer wanting to sell Gearbox Software, this set of layoffs at co-developer Lost Boys Interactive has left many fans worried about the future of Borderlands and Gearbox.

Industry Layoffs Show No Signs of Slowing

This latest reveal of more layoffs by Embracer Group has come as a shock to many, though others have already seen the cutback trends of 2023 carrying over to this year. After multiple rounds of workforce trimmings in 2023, Unity has announced another string of layoffs, along with Twitch and Discord also looking at massive downsizing efforts. Audiences have frequently questioned the necessity of these cost-cutting moves, as many of the companies to announce layoffs have been reporting record profits and already declining costs. Fans remain weary of the future of multiple industries, as they worry that these mass layoffs will start to impact consumers and the products and services they enjoy. Whether this will ring true for Lost Boys Interactive and Gearbox supporters remains to be seen, but for now, the layoff wave of last year is continuing to flow through 2024.

From the technology and gaming industries to the content creation and social media sectors, 2023 saw an almost unprecedented series of layoffs. Barely two weeks into 2024, more employees are receiving news of studio cutbacks and shutdowns, leaving many to wonder about the future of various franchises and services. With Embracer losing its COO and now issuing more layoffs, fans of Lost Boys Interactive and Gearbox Software are keeping a skeptical eye on Embracer Group and its multiple subsidiaries.

Tiny Tina's Wonderlands

A Borderlands spin-off, Tiny Tina's Wonderlands blends first-person shooter gunplay with fantasy RPG mechanics. Tiny Tina's Wonderlands is an action-oriented role-playing game from the first-person perspective developed by Gearbox and published by 2K.

The game can be played in either a solo mode or with up to three other players in online or local split-screen multiplayer. Traversing across the world is done with an overworld, which has random encounters. The game is set after Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep within the tabletop RPG Bunkers & Badasses, where Tiny Tina acts as the dungeon master.

Franchise

Borderlands

Platform(s)

PS5 , PS4 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , Xbox One , PC

Released

March 25, 2022

Developer(s)

Gearbox Software

Publisher(s)

2K

Genre(s)

Action RPG , FPS

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