Overview
- Tripwire confirmed on Monday that it laid off 36 employees, calling the move necessary and saying it will support those affected with compassion and dignity.
- An anonymous source told PC Gamer that roughly 40–50 people now remain at the studio, making this the company's second round of cuts in 2026 after 23 staff were let go in March.
- The company said remaining employees will focus on internal projects, specifically active development of Maneater 2, continued work and updates for Killing Floor 3, and expanded publishing under Tripwire Presents.
- The layoffs come days after Tripwire announced Tripwire Presents would offer scaled publishing support to smaller indie developers and follow Killing Floor 3's mixed Steam reviews and much lower concurrent player counts than its predecessor.
- Tripwire's recent ownership and leadership changes, including its 2022 acquisition by Embracer and Matthew LoPilato's promotion to CEO in 2024, provide context for the studio's strategic shift toward publishing and staff consolidation.