Cut to Bits Lays Off Majority of Staff Due to Financial Reasons Following Launch of Venture to the Vile

Cut to Bits has announced the layoff of the majority of its staff due to financial difficulties. The news was shared by co-founder and producer Masao Kobayashi in a post on X, as reported by Game Developer. The announcement comes less than a month after the release of their metroidvania game, Venture to the Vile.

He stated, “Regardless of the outcome, we are immensely proud of our game and our talented team. We have dedicated, talented, and thoughtful devs looking for new opportunities.” This heartfelt message highlighted the unfortunate necessity of laying off staff members due to the studio’s financial struggles. Kobayashi also took proactive steps to support his team, sharing a list of ten employees seeking new job opportunities on LinkedIn. This list includes producers, artists, QA testers, and a combat designer, showcasing the diverse and skilled talent affected by the layoffs.

Cut to Bits was founded in 2019 by Masao Kobayashi, lead programmer Tommy Sagala, and creative director Paul Green, all of whom brought extensive experience from their time at Ubisoft. Kobayashi, with nearly 14 years at Ubisoft, had a notable portfolio that included Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, Far Cry 3, Rainbow Six Siege, and the now-canceled Hyperscape. Sagala contributed as a gameplay programmer on Far Cry 5 and Far Cry 6, while Green worked on Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood (level design), Assassin’s Creed: Origins (quest design), and Far Cry 5.

Together, this trio aimed to create innovative and engaging games, culminating in the five-year development of Venture to the Vile. Despite their efforts and dedication, the game’s launch did not meet commercial expectations. While the studio has not disclosed specific sales figures of the game, the underwhelming launch performance is likely a major factor behind the financial issues leading to the layoffs.

Despite these setbacks, Kobayashi has assured fans that the team will continue to support Venture to the Vile with patches and has plans to release a PlayStation port later this year. You can read our review of this game here.