Niantic’s Pokemon GO was one of the biggest mobile gaming hits of all time, and the San Francisco-based developer has never managed to recapture its success in 2016. Still, things weren’t what they seemed from the outside. Developer studio Niantic announced the upcoming NBA All-World yesterday , and it looks like it will release its monster-growing-themed AR (augmented reality)-themed game Peridot later this year.
Niantic lays off nearly 100 employees and cancels projects
But the studio doesn’t look very good behind the scenes. While Peridot and the NBA All-World still appear to be in development, the company is reportedly in serious financial jeopardy. In response, Niantic cancels several of its products and projects and lays off nearly 100 employees. Niantic CEO John Hanke recently told Bloomberg that the studio is “facing a period of economic turmoil” and is “beginning to cut costs in several areas.”
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This includes the layoffs of 85 to 90 staff and the cancellation of four ongoing game projects. One of the canceled games is a Transformers game called Heavy Metal. Another is Hamlet, developed by Niantic in partnership with Punchdrunk Entertainment. Hamlet would be the first AR project, according to Punchdrunk’s website. The other two cancelled projects are Blue Sky and Snowball.
Niantic’s financial troubles may seem strange considering Pokemon GO’s popularity. But Niantic’s other projects have not been as successful. Thankfully, the Pokemon GO and NBA All-World projects are still under active development, along with other games.
