Firaxis Games, the storied developer behind the iconic Civilization strategy game series, has undergone a round of layoffs. The studio’s owner and publisher, 2K, confirmed the staff reduction as part of a restructuring effort aimed at optimizing its development process for greater adaptability, collaboration, and creativity. The exact number of employees affected was not disclosed, in keeping with company policy.
News of the layoffs was first reported after several former employees took to social media to announce they had been let go. These individuals included staff who had worked on recent and upcoming projects, including the just-released Civilization VII and the tactical RPG Marvel’s Midnight Suns. A source familiar with the situation suggested that dozens of workers were impacted by the cuts.
This move at Firaxis follows a period of reported turmoil at another studio under the 2K umbrella, Cloud Chamber, which is currently developing the next installment in the Bioshock franchise.
The timing of the layoffs is notable given the financial position of Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of both 2K and Firaxis. Despite a high-profile delay for its most anticipated title, Grand Theft Auto VI, Take-Two had previously projected a five percent growth in both revenue and net bookings for the latter half of the 2025 fiscal year. This projection of growth makes the decision to reduce staff seem counterintuitive, highlighting a continuing trend within the gaming industry where layoffs are becoming a standard operational practice, regardless of a company’s overall financial health or a project’s success.
Firaxis’s most recent major release, Civilization VII, launched in February of 2025. The title introduced a significant new mechanic to the franchise’s classic turn-based formula, allowing players to combine different world leaders and civilizations for unique strategic advantages. While the game received a mixed critical reception at launch, the studio has been actively supporting it with a series of post-release updates, including new content and bug fixes.
The video game industry has been hit hard by a wave of layoffs throughout 2024 and into 2025, with tens of thousands of jobs eliminated across developers and publishers of all sizes. These cuts are often framed as necessary restructuring for long-term growth and efficiency, even for companies that are profitable or have recently launched successful products. The situation at Firaxis appears to be another example of this widespread pattern, where studio reorganizations lead to job losses despite parent companies reporting stable or even positive financial outlooks.
