The PlayStation-owned studio confirmed the news on social media and explained the redundancies were made as it transitioned to a new project.
The company didn't disclose how many employees were laid off—but Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier yesterday stated that 30 percent of staffers (around 40 people) have been let go.
"Today, we said goodbye to some incredibly talented teammates as we transition to our next project. We're deeply thankful for their contributions as they've shaped who we are, and their impact will always be part of our story," reads the statement posted on X.
"This is a difficult moment for our team, but we hold immense respect for everyone who got us here. As we move forward, we remain committed to building the future of Bend Studio with creativity, passion, and innovation in the titles we craft."
Project cancelations at Sony
The news comes around five months after Sony canceled two live service projects, including one in development at Bend.When confirming the news to Bloomberg, the Japanese company said it would be "working closely" with each studio impacted to determine what comes next.
Those cancelations only added to the live-service scrapheap at Sony. Last year, the company canceled Concord post-launch after it failed to attract an audience. Developer Firewalk was subsequently shuttered.
Related:Switch 2 tops 3.5 million sales to deliver Nintendo's biggest console launch
Firewalk isn't the only first-party studio to have been marched to the guillotine by Sony. The company slashed 900 roles across PlayStation Studios in February 2024, laying off workers at key studios like Guerrilla, Firesprite, Naughty Dog, and Insomniac.
It also shut down The Getaway and VR Worlds developer London Studio in its entirety. Mobile studio Neon Koi was subsequently torched alongside Firewalk in October 2024.
