DeveloperDon’t Nod, one of the studios behind theLife is Strangeseries, has suffered another wave of layoffs recently, as reported byLost Records: Bloom & Rage’s cinematic artist. Founded in 2008, the French developer became a studio to watch after the release of the firstLife is Strangegame in 2015. Since then,Don’t Nodreleased the series’ popular sequel in 2018, and the team is also behind a slew of other non-franchise-related titles, such asVampyr,Jusant, andBanishers: Ghosts of New Eden.
Don’t Nod broughtLife is Strange’s eponymous debut and its sequel to life, while Deck Nine took over developing duties for the prequelBefore the Storm,True Colors, andDouble Exposure. After launching to mixed reviews in 2024,Life is Strange: Double Exposurepublisher Square Enix reported “large losses”from its release, despite the Deck Nine team returning an older Max Caulfield to the story.
Reported on LinkedIn, Principal Cinematic Artist Mary Pouliot confirmed she had been affected by Don’t Nod Montreal’s recent layoffs. Pouliot noted that she had been anticipating the “dreadly fatality” due to the abundance of layoffs in the industry recently, but said it still came as a “real shock.”Don’t Nod was first hit with layoffs back in October 2024, affecting 21% of the studio’s staff afterJusantandBanishers: Ghosts of New Edenunderperformed. Pouliot also confirmed that more of her colleagues were part of the recent layoff wave, although the specific number of affected employees was not given.
Don’t Nod’s Principle Cinematic Artist Confirms More Layoffs
Several Don’t Nod employees reached out to Pouliot on LinkedIn in response to the layoff announcement, with Don’t Nod Montreal Narrative Designer Alexandra B. expressing “how sudden it still feels even when it’s almost getting predictable.” Fellow Cinematic Artist Johanna B. added how they had watched Pouliot give her “time, expertise, and energy” to deliver the “best cinematics possible” within the team. Additionally, further demonstrating the devastating wave of layoffs that have been affecting the entire gaming industry for the past few years,Life is Strange: Double Exposure’s Deck Nine was also hit with a second round of layoffsat the end of 2024 amid industry challenges.
Preceding Don’t Nod’s upcoming cinematic action-adventure Aphelion, due to release sometime in 2026, the developer’s recent releaseLost Records: Bloom & Ragereceived a favorable review from GameRant. Praise was given to its well-written characters, nostalgic setting, fantastic music that’s become the developer’s staple, and the plentiful amount of meaningful collectibles on offer for players to find.
