Hours after revealing it’s split off from Embracer to join Take-Two, Gearbox Software is laying off some of its staff.
Senior user research investigator Jewels Verne plainly stated she “just lost her job.” PR manager Jennifer Locke revealed she’d also been laid off along with “countless others.”
“It really was a dream come true working on this team, and I’m incredibly grateful for my time here,” wrote Locke.
Layoffs are fairly common in the aftermath of a merger. But that often occurs weeks or months after the ink is dry, not a handful of hours later.
Gearbox joins Take Two, some complications remain
The $460 million deal sees the Borderlands developer join the Grand Theft Auto publisher. Along with its offshoots in Montreal and Quebec, Gearbox is taking its key franchise with it, along with Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, Homeworld, and others.
However, its publishing arm in San Francisco, along with publishing rights to the Remnant series and Hyper Light Breaker, will remain with Embracer. Gearbox partners like Lost Boys Interactive and Captured Dimensions are similarly staying put.
Following the split, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford was quick to call it the “best possible scenario” for the studio. “This arrangement will ensure that the experiences we have in development at Gearbox will be the best it can possibly be,” he wrote earlier today.
Game Developer has reached out to Gearbox for comment and will update when a response is given.