“Tomb Raider” developer Crystal Dynamics has announced layoffs, saying the move is “necessary” for its future success. As part of the layoffs, up to 17 employees will be laid off. The studio is currently working on the next Tomb Raider game and said the layoffs will not affect its plans for current projects. In addition to the action-adventure series, Crystal Dynamics also co-developed the Perfect Dark reboot for Xbox.
Crystal Dynamics announces layoffs
“This morning, Crystal Dynamics made the difficult decision to lay off 17 talented team members,” the studio said in a statement Thursday. “We do not make this decision lightly. Ultimately, this step is necessary to better align our current business needs with the studio’s future success. It does not reflect the dedication or abilities of those affected.”
The studio said it will support affected employees through transition programs and opportunity outreach. “Crystal Dynamics remains committed to pushing the boundaries of making great games. This change will not alter our current project plans,” it added.
This morning, Crystal Dynamics made the difficult decision to eliminate 17 talented team members. We did not make this decision lightly. Ultimately, this step is necessary to better tune our current (continued) https://t.co/wKWtl5Be8S pic.twitter.com/q482GyteoJ
— Crystal Dynamics (@CrystalDynamics) March 26, 2025
The layoffs at Crystal Dynamics follow a wave of layoffs in the gaming industry last year that continued into 2025. This year, Warner Bros. announced it would be closing three studios and canceling a AAA game. Studios such as NetEase, Striking Distance Studios, Crytek, BioWare and others were also hit by layoffs in 2025.
Crystal Dynamics has been developing the next Tomb Raider game, which will be published by Amazon Games. Christoph Hartmann, Amazon’s vice president of gaming, said last August that the studio was “pretty much protected” from the turmoil at parent company Embracer Group. Embracer acquired Crystal Dynamics from Square Enix in 2022, but the Swedish conglomerate fell into debt after the collapse of a $2 billion (roughly Rs. 16,783 crore) investment deal with Saudi Arabia’s Savvy Games Group, triggering a fall in share prices, massive layoffs at the company and its many subsidiaries, studio closures, the cancellation of multiple projects in development and the eventual sale of multiple studios in its portfolio.
Embracer sold Gearbox to Take-Two, spinning off Saber Interactive but retaining Crystal Dynamics and the Tomb Raider IP.
Crystal Dynamics has yet to reveal details about the next Tomb Raider, but the game is in the early stages of development. However, the unnamed Tomb Raider game has been confirmed to be a single-player, narrative-driven adventure that continues Lara Croft’s story in the series.