'It’s Incredibly Sad Knowing That We Won’t Get to Finish What We Were Working on' — Hellblade Staff Bid Farewell to Ninja Theory as Layoffs Begin

The closure of Hellblade developer Ninja Theory has left its staff saddened, as they bid farewell to a place that meant everything to them. Gameplay programmer Katrin Mair expressed her emotions, stating that Ninja Theory was not just a job to her but a significant part of her career. After four years, she fondly recalls the dedication of everyone involved in the studio - to their work, the attention to detail, and to each other.

Mair cherishes the memories of her journey from a newcomer to a seasoned programmer, grateful for the opportunities provided by Ninja Theory.

Technical director Loong-Wei Ding also speaks of his abrupt departure, urging other studios to take up the responsibilities of his colleagues. Technical sound designer Alessio Mellina, who spent 12 years at the studio, reveals the immense effort he and his team poured into developing the binaural audio system for Hellblade. Despite the challenges, Mellina is proud of the top-notch performance capture stage they built together.

The impact of the layoffs is widespread, with many of Ninja Theory's dedicated staff being let go. Performance capture expert Xoe Suvari, who contributed to the studio through hundreds of shoot days and meticulous data collection, is among those who lost their jobs. His team had grown as both individuals and professionals, and together they created one of the best performance capture stages in the industry.

All these posts reflect a sense of sorrow and camaraderie, as the staff reminisce about their shared experiences at Ninja Theory.

The closure of Ninja Theory comes after Microsoft announced their intention to shut down the studio last month, following two unsuccessful attempts to save the company. At the Xbox Games Showcase event in June, Microsoft unveiled Senua, the third installment in the Hellblade series, but it was clear that Microsoft had no intention of publishing the title. In another move, Microsoft is set to develop the next mainline Halo game, leaving Ninja Theory's fate uncertain.

These changes are part of a larger pattern of restructurings, with Xbox moving several studios under the Activision umbrella, including Age of Empires developer World's Edge and Sea of Thieves developer Rare. These moves come as Xbox aims to complete three-quarters of the planned restructures, indicating that more job losses are expected in the coming months.