It just wouldn’t be a day in the gaming industry without some unfortunate news about layoffs. This time, the studio facing staff reductions is Liquid Swords, founded by Christofer Sundberg, who was previously the Chief Creative Officer at Avalanche Studios and the creator of the Just Cause series.

In a statement on the company’s website, Sundberg explained that Liquid Swords was established in 2020 to redefine game development with a small, expert-driven team and a sustainable work model. However, he noted that despite achieving significant goals, shifting market conditions have hindered the studio’s ability to succeed within its projected timeline. As a result, the company has made the “incredibly difficult” decision to let go of several talented individuals who played critical roles in its journey.

While many might not be familiar with Liquid Swords due to its first game still being in development, the studio’s ambitions were highlighted at its inception, focusing on open-world action, explosions, and memorable experiences.

Their current project, described as a narrative-driven, open-world, hardboiled AAA revenge story using the Unreal Engine 5, will proceed despite the layoffs, as Sundberg affirmed that they remain committed to their vision.

Interestingly, the downsizing at Liquid Swords is particularly unexpected. In 2022, NetEase Games had invested in the studio, which had aspirations to increase its workforce to 100 employees by early 2024.