Gravity Well Studio, the independent AAA game developer founded by veterans of Titanfall and Apex Legends, has laid off more than 40 employees after losing its funding and failing to secure a new development partner. The layoffs affect the majority of the studio’s workforce and come before it has publicly revealed its first game.
The studio confirmed the news in a LinkedIn statement, explaining that it lost its funding during the summer and had been searching for a new partner to keep its project and team going. Despite those efforts, Gravity Well has not secured new funding, forcing the studio to significantly reduce its staff.
“Gravity Well lost our funding this summer and have been searching for a new partner. We haven’t secured funding yet.”
Gravity Well was founded by several developers with experience working on Titanfall and Apex Legends, and the studio described itself as an independent AAA game development company. Its first project has reportedly been in development for six years, but details about the game remain limited. The studio has only shared two concept images publicly, with no full reveal or release information available so far.
The layoffs now leave Gravity Well operating with a much smaller team. According to the studio, employees were aware that job cuts were possible if new funding could not be secured before its existing resources ran out.
“It is with a heavy heart that we announce that Gravity Well has had to say goodbye to the majority of our team – over 40 amazingly talented developers.”
The studio said it is continuing to search for a way forward, although it admitted that its future is uncertain given the current condition of the games industry. Gravity Well’s remaining employees will continue working while the company attempts to secure another funding partner.
The studio also used the announcement to highlight the developers affected by the layoffs and encouraged other companies to consider hiring them.
“If you see someone from Gravity Well apply for a role at your company, please consider them. They are amazing and would make any development team stronger.”
Gravity Well’s situation reflects the wider financial challenges facing game development, where studios can spend years working on a project before securing a path to release. Even with veteran developers from established franchises behind the company, maintaining funding for a large-scale game remains difficult.
For now, Gravity Well says it will continue to “fight for survival” with its smaller team. Whether the studio can find a new partner and keep its six-year-old project alive remains uncertain.
