Sharkmob’s London team at risk of layoffs after canceled project

Developer Sharkmob may lay off staff at its London studio after the team canceled an unannounced project.

In a statement, Sharkmob explained the London team is in a consultation period to determine how much of its staff will be reduced. The unnamed project was in the works “for some time” prior to its end.

Citing “industry challenges,” the developer said it would “try and minimise this impact” as much as possible.

“This is an incredibly difficult time,” Sharkmob continued, “and our focus is to provide the support and guidance to those potentially impacted.”

Sharkmob was founded in 2017, and its debut title was the 2022 multiplayer shooter Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt. Last year, Sharkmob ended development on the vampiric battle royale after failing to reach “critical mass” to keep it going.

In Bloodhunt’s final update, Sharkmob removed its purchasing options (which had players use real-world money to buy in-game items), and the servers will remain online as long as possible.

Currently, Sharkmob’s Malmö team is at work on Exoborne, another multiplayer shooter whose development is unaffected by the London team’s events.

About the Author

Contributing Editor, GameDeveloper.com

A Kansas City, MO native, Justin Carter has written for numerous sites including IGN, Polygon, and SyFy Wire. In addition to Game Developer, his writing can be found at io9 over on Gizmodo. Don’t ask him about how much gum he’s had, because the answer will be more than he’s willing to admit.