Justin Carter, Contributing EditorFebruary 6, 20251 Min ReadImage via Hi-Rez Studios.At a GlanceDevelopers across Smite's design, production, and esports teams have been impacted by a new wave of layoffs at Hi-Rez StudiosSmite and Realm Royale developer Hi-Rez Studios seems to have conducted layoffs this week. Nearly 30 employees (at time of writing) revealed they were impacted on social media, and their posts have been compiled into a single Reddit megathread.A reason for the layoffs has currently not been disclosed. According to Gaming World's Jake Lucky, these cuts are "massive" and seem to primarily impact the Smite team, which is developing the sequel Smite 2.Hi-Rez previously laid off workers October 2024, targeting the cosmetic and system features teams across its various subsidiaries. This new round looks to be more widespread: producers, designers, programmers, and esports commentators are among those affected.With last year's cuts, CEO Stewart Chisam explained the studio eliminated staff to ensure Smite 2's long-term success. Chisam's X account has been deleted since then, and at time of writing, a statement on today's layoffs has not been published to LinkedIn or other channels.This makes Hi-Rez the latest developer to cut staff this week, preceded by ProbablyMonsters, Iron Galaxy, and 31st Union.Game Developer has reached out to Hi-Rez for comment, and will update when a response is given.Read more about:LayoffsAbout the AuthorJustin CarterContributing Editor, GameDeveloper.comA Kansas City, MO native, Justin Carter has written for numerous sites including IGN, Polygon, and SyFy Wire. In addition to Game Developer, his writing can be found at io9 over on Gizmodo. Don't ask him about how much gum he's had, because the answer will be more than he's willing to admit.See more from Justin CarterDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like