Ninja Theory, the studio behind Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice and Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, is letting people go after two deals to save the studio fell through. Multiple former employees posted on LinkedIn this morning that their roles were at risk of redundancy or that they were seeking new opportunities.
Gameplay programmer Katrin Mair wrote: “It’s incredibly sad knowing that we won’t get to finish what we were working on.” Performance capture technician Rachel Kimber wrote: “Ninja Theory has been some of the best years of my life, but sadly it is time to say goodbye.”
The Redundancy Posts
Katrin Mair’s post captured the frustration of unfinished work. She said: “So much care, talent and effort went into it, and I really wish we’d had the chance to see what it could have become.”
Rachel Kimber’s farewell was more personal. She said: “I can’t express enough the amazing people I have been able to work with over the last 4 and a half years. It has been such a pleasure and I have made friends for life.”
This morning, two posts appeared on LinkedIn. Together, they suggest a shift in the studio’s situation.
Ninja Theory’s Long History
Ninja Theory has been around in some form since 2000. The studio moved from independence to ownership to reforming as an independent studio again before being acquired by Xbox in 2018. It has worked on a number of projects, but it is best known for the Hellblade series.
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice was a critical hit. Its sequel, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 came out in 2024, and while it earned good reviews, they weren’t as full of praise as those for the original game.
The analyst remarks point to sales trouble for the sequel, but it appears to have done fairly well with Xbox Game Pass subscribers.
The Senua Announcement
Four months ago, during Xbox’s summer showcase, Ninja Theory revealed a fresh title called Senua, a move meant to draw a buyer’s eye toward the studio following Xbox’s decision to let it go as part of its sweeping reorganization.
A total of about 3,200 positions will be shed through the restructuring process, which is expected to unfold across roughly a year. The Senua reveal was intended to assist in securing that buyer.
Two Deals Fell Through
Xbox announced last month that two deals aimed at saving Ninja Theory had failed to materialize. The studio is now moving forward with the UK’s consultation process before mass layoffs and what appears to be a shutdown.
The sequence could not be worse. Four months ago the studio announced a new game in an effort to find a buyer. Now it is laying off staff.
The Other Studios Leaving
At the same time, Double Fine, Undead Labs, and Compulsion Games were also announced as undergoing various processes of separation from Xbox. Each of those three studios has since spun off to become fully independent.
Both Double Fine and Undead Labs have experienced rounds of layoffs tied to that split, while Arkane Lyon is presently consulting with experts.
A studio announces a new game, and months later comes news of layoffs. That sequence repeats again, but on a larger scale this time. Xbox is reducing its workforce by roughly 3,200, with the cuts spread across a year, and among those affected was Ninja Theory, one of the studios swept up in that wave.
What Happens Next
The studio is currently waiting to see how the UK consultation process plays out, since the outcome will determine whether the layoffs go ahead.
The Sales Question
A matter of record shows how the sequel sold. Some analysts suggest it may not have done well in sales, while it appears to have found a comfortable home among Xbox Game Pass subscribers.
| Studio | Status |
|---|---|
| Ninja Theory | Entering UK consultation after two deals fell through |
| Double Fine | Spun off, underwent layoffs |
| Undead Labs | Spun off, underwent layoffs |
| Compulsion Games | Spun off |
| Arkane Lyon | In consultation |
The table lays out the shape of the restructuring, with some studios departing without incident while others exited with layoffs attached. Now it appears that Ninja Theory has become the next studio to face that same fate.
The Road Ahead
The outcome of the consultation process will decide if the layoffs go ahead. Until then, the studio remains inactive.
The studio’s intention behind the Senua announcement was to save itself. Yet the reveal ended up marking the point at which the company sat before the deals collapsed, rather than securing its future.
Many fans of the Hellblade series will probably read the posts from Katrin Mair and Rachel Kimber, and those posts carry real sadness that is on display for all to see.
The studio’s history has seen it begin in 2000, pass through periods of independence and being owned by others, and finally find stability under Xbox. That stability has now come to an end.
The games persist, and so does the community around them, though the individuals who constructed those games have dispersed.
No joy comes at the close here. Yet the tale has already been recounted, and it shall be repeated once more.
Source material: “Senua Studio Ninja Theory Begins Letting People Go After Two Deals To Save The Studio Fell Through,” Kotaku.
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