As reports of funding cuts and layoffs at NetEase circulate, associated video game companies like Quantic Dream are assuring the public that their developers aren't affected – and neither are their games, including upcoming titles like Star Wars Eclipse.
Star Wars Eclipse, described by Quantic Dream as the team's "most ambitious" project yet, is still in the works – and if CEO Guillaume de Fondaumière's recent LinkedIn post is anything to go by, its production hasn't been impacted by NetEase's financial circumstances or any of its layoffs. "We were deeply saddened to learn about the recent layoffs and studio closures affecting some of the NetEase group's divisions," writes the company lead.
"Our thoughts are with everyone impacted, and we sincerely hope that they quickly find new opportunities," continues de Fondaumière, going on to reassure readers that neither Quantic Dream nor its games in development have been affected. "We want to reassure everyone that our studios in Paris and Montreal remain unaffected. We are continuing to develop our projects at full pace, with several open positions available in both locations."
He then explains NetEase's relationship with Quantic Dream over time from the beginning: "Founded 28 years ago, Quantic Dream remains committed to the strategy outlined by David and I in 2019, when NetEase initially acquired a minority stake in our company. Over the past six years, NetEase has been a dedicated partner, providing us with creative freedom and the financial resources necessary for our studio to grow and strive."
In 2022, de Fondaumière states that "Quantic Dream became a wholly owned subsidiary of NetEase, aligning with our shared vision for the future." According to the lead, the company went on to smash its own records in 2024 and achieve "the highest revenue in our history, driven by the exceptional performance of our back-catalogue titles" like Detroit: Become Human – a game he notes sold over 11 million units on console and PC.
"Notably, Detroit: Become Human reached 11 million units in global sales across PlayStation and PC last year, a remarkable 2 million increase year-on-year, demonstrating the lasting appeal and quality of our titles," describes the CEO. "The developments of our current projects are progressing as planned, and we are fully committed to delivering and launching these innovative, high-quality titles in the future."
His words are certainly reassuring to hear, especially when considering how much the video game industry seems to be suffering now from funding cuts and layoffs. Between those at Marvel Rivals' teams and elsewhere, it's an anxiety-inducing time – and a recent Game Developers Conference report confirms as much, finding that out of around 3,000 respondents, a shocking one in 10 developers were laid off in the past year.
