Tomb Raider devs insist 'no impact' after Embracer layoffs
The current meta of buy, buy, buy for companies to climb the ladder of the gaming world is incredibly bleak. Started by Microsoft's plans to purchase Activision Blizzard, it has become commonplace now for companies to flounder into a buyout deal that leaves their pockets empty and their office space crammed.
It's sadly working, with the industry now offering the biggest spoils to the company with the most purchases under their belts. And now, it looks like it's backfired, as one company's enormous spending spree has been brought screeching to a halt.
Embracer is "restructuring" after massive buyouts
Click to enlargeIt looks like Embracer Group, the company supporting the likes of Crystal Dynamics and the rights for The Lord of the Rings has put a sharp stop to its spending. The company is set to enter a new "restructuring program," putting the company's staff at risk.
"The program presented today will transform us from our current heavy-investment-mode to a highly cash-flow generative business this year," says Embracer Group CEO Lars Wingefors in an open letter posted to the Embracer website.
"It will enable us to meet the worsening economy and market reality as a strong company and it will fundamentally change our prioritization of growth with raised capital towards optimization and growth based on our own cashflows."
There's a clear subtext here - it's expected that the companies that work under Embracer are at risk of mass sackings and closures, and as of right now, there are no hints as to who could be on the chopping block. But thankfully, Crystal Dynamics has eased our fears.
Tomb Raider is thankfully safe
Revealing the news in a Twitter post, Crystal Dynamics has shared that it's not expecting to be affected by this restructuring of its parent company. It's certainly good news for the Tomb Raider and Perfect Dark reboots, with Lara Croft and Joanna Dark expected to make their comeback in a big way.
Who knows what this will mean for the various Lord of the Rings titles and other IPs? It's still nerve-wracking that a company of Embracer's size is having to trim back as a result of its excessive spending. This is the cost of the current meta in the industry, and there's little we can do about it now.
