Kwalee Labs has laid off the full development team behind its first in-house release, “Luna Abyss,” less than a month after launch. The Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC game launched in late May, following its release on day-one Game Pass. Kwalee Labs CEO and production director Hollie Emery announced on LinkedIn that she and the rest of the development staff—reported as nine people total—were made redundant earlier this week. Emery cited undisclosed reasons and said the decision was “completely outside of our control,” adding that the team is available for work.
Multiple outlets report that critical reception has been positive, with Metacritic listing an 81% score (as cited by GameSpot). Performance indicators cited by GameSpot’s reporting show a sharp decline in Steam players after launch: a reported peak of 18,597 near launch and a more recent 24-hour peak of about 310.
The game’s description centers on Fawkes, an imprisoned woman exploring a derelict megastructure on the moon Luna while facing cosmic horrors. While the layoffs affect the team, “Luna Abyss” is reported to remain available on its current platforms.
