Crysis 4 Development Paused; Crytek Announces Layoffs of Up to 60 Employees

Crytek, the renowned game developer behind the iconic Crysis series, has announced a significant round of layoffs affecting 60 of its 400 employees. This decision comes amidst challenging market conditions that have impacted the gaming industry over the past few years. In a tweet, Crytek acknowledged that despite the growth of their popular game Hunt: Showdown, the company could not "continue as before and remain financially sustainable."

The layoffs, which impact 15% of Crytek's workforce, were deemed "inevitable" after the company put Crysis 4 "on hold" in late 2024. Crytek had attempted to shift staff to work on Hunt: Showdown to reduce costs and operating expenses, but these efforts were not enough to avoid the layoffs. The affected employees span across Crytek's development teams and shared services, and the company has committed to providing severance packages to those impacted.

In a statement, Crytek founder Avni Yerli expressed the difficulty of the decision, emphasizing the company's appreciation for its talented teams. He noted the ongoing efforts to pivot developers to Hunt: Showdown 1896, which continues to grow, but stressed that further action was necessary for financial sustainability. Crytek remains committed to the future of the company and the continued development and expansion of Hunt: Showdown 1896, as well as their engine, CRYENGINE.

Last year, it was revealed that Crytek had been working on a battle royale-inspired project codenamed Crysis Next, which was showcased in early gameplay footage on YouTube. This project featured third-person shooting in a basic warm-up arena, incorporating Crysis's signature abilities and sound effects. However, Crysis Next was ultimately canceled in favor of Crysis 4, which was officially announced in January 2022.

The Crysis series, known for its stunning visuals, innovative nanosuit powers, and open-ended gameplay, has been a benchmark in the gaming world since the release of the first game in 2007. The original Crysis was so demanding on PC hardware that it led to the popular phrase, "But can it run Crysis?" used to gauge a computer's performance. The last mainline entry, Crysis 3, was released in February 2013. While Crytek has released remasters of the original games in recent years, fans have been eagerly awaiting updates on Crysis 4 since its announcement and teaser three years ago.