Tripwire Interactive says it's laying off 36 staff in a "necessary" decision, while reassuring that Killing Floor 3 and Maneater 2 are still in active developme

Tripwire Interactive, the studio behind Killing Floor, announced the layoff of 36 internal staff in a statement, describing the decision as "necessary" but difficult. The cuts follow the 2022 release of Killing Floor 3 and coincide with unrelated layoffs at Skydance Games. The company acknowledged the affected employees' contributions and pledged support during their transition.

The announcement emphasized that despite the workforce reduction, development on Killing Floor 3’s post-launch updates and the upcoming Maneater 2 remains active. Tripwire reassured fans that both projects are still in development, though the studio did not address the broader impact on team capacity.

Tripwire’s statement also highlighted its recent expansion into publishing to support small indie developers, a move announced days before the layoffs. This follows a previous round of layoffs in March, underscoring a pattern of workforce reductions within the studio.

The layoffs occur less than a year after Tripwire was acquired by Embracer Group in 2022, a corporation known for significant staff reductions across its subsidiaries. The timing and context have drawn attention to the studio’s operational challenges.