Entire Luna Abyss Development Team Laid Off One Month After Launch
The entire development team behind Luna Abyss, a well-received shooter that launched just a month ago, has been laid off. Hollie Emery, CEO of Kwalee Labs, shared the news in a LinkedIn post, stating that the decision to make the team redundant was entirely out of their control. Despite the game receiving critical acclaim — with an 81 on Metacritic — it appears to have struggled commercially. Luna Abyss peaked at 317 concurrent players on Steam, indicating it hasn't captured a large audience.
The development team consisted of nine individuals, all now seeking new opportunities. The game was in development for seven years, with its inception dating back to 2019. IGN first previewed the game in 2023 and expressed optimism about Kwalee Labs' vision for Luna Abyss. That optimism was echoed in a more recent preview earlier this year, where the game was praised for its challenging gameplay and polished mechanics. Luna Abyss remains available for purchase on Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC for $29.99.
Gaming Industry Faces Continued Layoffs Amid Uncertainty
The news of Luna Abyss' team layoffs comes at a difficult time for the gaming industry, which has seen a wave of job cuts this summer. Bungie is expected to implement "significant" layoffs next month as support for Destiny 2 winds down. Additionally, several Xbox studios — including Ninja Theory, Compulsion Games, and Double Fine — are reportedly under threat of closure. These studios are currently negotiating with Microsoft to potentially operate independently, though layoffs may still occur regardless of the outcome.
