{
  "id": 126367,
  "title": "Netflix's FIFA World Cup game studio has laid off 85% of its staff",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/04/netflixs-fifa-world-cup-game-studio-has-laid-off-85-of-its-staff",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-04T09:33:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Polygon",
    "slug": "polygon",
    "url": "https://www.polygon.com/fifa-world-cup-netflix-game-refactor-games-delphi-interactive-layoffs/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "Refactor Games, the studio behind the FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition game exclusive to Netflix, has laid off 85% of its workforce. According to Polygon, studio head Nathan Burba confirmed the news. An Inside Gaming report, as cited by Polygon, claims that publisher Delphi Interactive pulled funding for the studio.\n\nThe layoffs at Refactor Games do not appear to be related to FIFA or its leadership. There is no information in the reports about the reason for the layoffs or the future of the studio.\n\nThe news about Refactor Games comes amidst reports about FIFA, but these seem unrelated to the layoffs. Yahoo Sports and SB Nation reported on other FIFA-related topics, including the Little League Softball World Series and FIFA President Gianni Infantino's tenure, but these do not appear to be connected to Refactor Games or its layoffs.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Associated Press",
        "title": "European soccer body UEFA warns FIFA of legal action over Infantino’s failed World Cup sell-off plan",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/03/european-soccer-body-uefa-warns-fifa-of-legal-action-over-infantinos",
        "published": "2026-08-03T09:53:02.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "UEFA confirms legal letter served to FIFA after Infantino’s World Cup plan",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/04/uefa-confirms-legal-letter-served-to-fifa-after-infantinos-world-cup",
        "published": "2026-08-04T08:37:44.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "BBC Sport",
        "title": "Fifa private money plan had to be scrapped - Wenger",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/04/fifa-private-money-plan-had-to-be-scrapped-wenger",
        "published": "2026-08-04T10:45:14.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Island Sri Lanka",
        "title": "UEFA confirms legal letter served to FIFA after Infantino’s World Cup plan",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/04/uefa-confirms-legal-letter-served-to-fifa-after-infantinos-world-cup-127793",
        "published": "2026-08-04T10:45:52.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Le Monde English",
        "title": "Arsène Wenger says scrapping Infantino's World Cup plan was 'absolutely necessary'",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/04/arsene-wenger-says-scrapping-infantinos-world-cup-plan-was-absolutely",
        "published": "2026-08-04T11:01:54.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}