Behaviour Interactive, the developer behind the popular game Dead by Daylight, has announced a significant round of layoffs. The company is set to lay off up to 95 employees, with 70 of these job cuts affecting employees based in Montreal, where Behaviour Interactive is headquartered.
This decision comes after a previous round of 45 layoffs in January, which also reportedly impacted the Montreal office. Behaviour Interactive cited “unprecedented competition” in the gaming industry as the reason for the layoffs and stated that they needed to refocus on their core strengths. The company mentioned that they would be concentrating on horror games and exploring opportunities in location-based entertainment, although specific details about this strategy were not provided.
Despite the layoffs, Behaviour Interactive assured that the ongoing development of Dead by Daylight, their flagship title, would not be affected. The company attributed its recent growth, from 575 employees to 1,300 in the past five years, to the success of Dead by Daylight.
These layoffs are part of a larger trend in the gaming industry in 2024, with an estimated total of 10,300 job cuts already recorded. This number is approaching the 10,500 layoffs that occurred in 2023, showcasing the challenges faced by game developers in a competitive market.
Behaviour Interactive’s decision to downsize highlights the ever-changing landscape of the gaming industry and the need for companies to adapt to stay competitive. As the company reevaluates its strategy and focuses on its strengths, the impact of these layoffs on the industry and the affected employees remains to be seen.
