The studio known for the Tomb Raider, Legacy of Kain and Gex franchises has joined the growing number of studios that have resorted to layoffs this year.

Crystal Dynamics announced on Twitter that a difficult decision has resulted in a layoff of 17 employees, most recently related to the Tomb Raider remasters (although those were done by Aspyr) and Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered. Meanwhile, they have the Perfect Dark reboot in the works and a new, unnamed Tomb Raider project in development…

“This morning, Crystal Dynamics made the difficult decision to reduce our workforce by 17 talented team members. We did not make this decision lightly. Ultimately, this step was necessary to better align our current business needs with the future success of the studio. It is not a reflection on the dedication or ability of those affected. We recognize how painful this outcome is for those affected and are supporting them with transition packages and opportunities. Crystal Dynamics remains committed to pushing the boundaries of what it means to make great games. This change does not alter our current project plans,” the statement reads.

This morning, Crystal Dynamics made the difficult decision to reduce our workforce by 17 talented team members. We did not make this decision lightly. Ultimately, this step was necessary to better align our current (cont) https://t.co/wKWtl5Be8S pic.twitter.com/q482GyteoJ

— Crystal Dynamics (@CrystalDynamics) March 26, 2025

The Perfect Dark reboot was announced at The Game Awards 2020. It’s being developed for Xbox Series and PC, and has since undergone an engine change (from Unreal Engine 4 to 5), and is being developed with The Initiative, a team previously called the Elite Team, but still without a name, to which Brian Horton of Insomniac Games recently joined. The new Tomb Raider will be published by Amazon Games.

Crystal Dynamics has laid off 27 people in the last three years, which isn’t a huge number. A total of 1,493 people have been laid off this year, from indie studios to AAA teams. Of course, the question is when the Perfect Dark reboot will be released, because it doesn’t seem to be in such a good state at the moment, if they’re being so secretive.

Source: WCCFTech