adminOtherSide Entertainment layoffs have affected 17 team members following the cancellation of Argos, a game that was still in development. The studio said the project might have succeeded in more favorable circumstances, but judged it unviable under current industry conditions. The departures took effect at the end of May.
Image credit: OtherSide Entertainment
OtherSide Entertainment layoffs follow Argos cancellation
OtherSide Entertainment confirmed that it cut 17 roles after deciding to stop work on Argos. The company described the current climate for game development as exceptionally difficult and said that this influenced its assessment of the project. It did not provide further details about Argos, such as its planned release date or the specific roles affected.
The studio also expressed support for the departing employees, recommending them to other developers that may be recruiting. For job seekers following the story, the company’s statement is a reminder that development cancellations can affect teams even when a project has not been publicly released.
How the decision fits into the studio’s recent history
The announcement came shortly after the release of Thick as Thieves, a multiplayer stealth heist game published by Megabit, part of Aonic Group. The timing connects the latest staffing news to a period of continued change for the studio, but the company tied the 17 departures specifically to Argos being cancelled.
OtherSide Entertainment was founded in 2014 by veteran developer Paul Neurath and acquired the Underworld intellectual property. Warren Spector joined the studio as its director in 2016. The company’s history has also included several projects that faced changes in plans or development partners.
System Shock 3 and other cancelled projects
OtherSide worked on System Shock 3, which was expected to be published by Starbreeze. Starbreeze’s financial difficulties affected funding for the role-playing game. Tencent acquired the rights to System Shock in 2020, and OtherSide made layoffs that year. In 2022, Spector said the studio was no longer involved in developing System Shock 3.
Reports in early 2023 said OtherSide had been working with Hasbro on a Dungeons & Dragons game, but that project was cancelled. Later in 2023, Aonic Group acquired OtherSide Entertainment.
What the Argos cancellation means
The studio’s statement indicates that Argos was stopped because OtherSide considered it unviable in the current market, rather than announcing a change in the game’s release schedule. No additional information about the project or its future has been shared in the announcement. Readers should distinguish those confirmed details from speculation about what the game might have become.
In summary, the OtherSide Entertainment layoffs followed the cancellation of Argos and affected 17 employees, with the changes taking effect at the end of May. The decision comes amid a longer period of shifting projects for the studio, while the company has publicly encouraged other developers to consider the impacted team members for available roles.
