Undead Labs boss "reluctant to share" number affected by layoffs: "I would hate to reduce the impact to those individuals to a number or statistic"

Philip Holt, the boss of Undead Labs studio, was hesitant to disclose the exact number of employees the developer lost when it became independent of Xbox. Holt expressed his regret over having to part ways with the staff, stating that he didn't want to quantify the impact on those individuals as a statistic or number. He acknowledged that he had been somewhat transparent with the staff during the studio's transition to an employee-owned model, aiming to alleviate their anxiety by being open about the situation.

Holt explained that he tried to put himself in the shoes of the employees, who were uncertain about their job security and the future of the company they loved. He believed that by sharing as much information as possible, he created a more transparent environment, which ultimately helped the surviving team view the company and the decision to lay off employees as a necessary consequence of the current reality. The remaining team saw Holt's actions as fair and understanding, rather than causing them irreparable harm.