Amid all the turmoil in the industry, Quantic Dream’s employees are facing their own battle against impending layoffs. The studio recently went on strike to prevent the firing of 115 employees following the disastrous release (and subsequent shuttering) of the free-to-play Spellcasters Chronicles. They claimed it was to “save” Star Wars Eclipse, the narrative action-adventure that reportedly stalled in recent months.
Those who remained were asked to pick up the slack, as leadership apparently mandated overtime to help the project over the finish line. However, a studio spokesperson told IGN that development is “continuing as planned” with the team’s “full commitment” and “all the necessary resources.”
“As previously stated, the development of Star Wars Eclipse remains unaffected by the recent closure of Spellcasters Chronicles, a decision driven by the challenging market conditions in that segment.
“The development of Star Wars Eclipse is continuing as planned, with the full commitment of its team and all the necessary resources to complete its mission.
“Our priority is to ensure that employees affected by the restructuring process receive the appropriate support, care, and consideration. Out of respect for this ongoing process and for the employees concerned, we will not provide any further comment at this stage.”
First announced in December 2021, reports quickly emerged about the project being three to four years out from launch. Other rumors claimed it had already been in development for 18 months and still lacked a playable build. Quantic Dream would eventually counter reports of delays by stating that it never announced a release date (which is technically correct).
However, it seems things have only barely improved over the years. Fresh rumors claimed that the project was “years off” from completion and currently in “development hell.” Quantic Dream was apparently counting on Spellcasters Chronicles to help fund it. With that possibility out of the window, it remains to be seen if the studio will even remain with NetEase, which has seemingly remained neutral to the current strike.
