Supermassive Games has delayed its next game, Directive 8020, following a round of layoffs affecting up to 36 employees.
The British studio announced the decision in a social media statement, blaming the layoffs on its need to “adapt our team structure to better align with recent industry changes”.
As a result, the studio’s forthcoming sci-fi horror game Directive 8020 has been delayed into the first half of 2026.
“This decision was not taken lightly, and we know this will be an incredibly difficult time for everyone,” the statement reads. “Our absolute priority will be to offer full support to all those affected.
“We remain focused on our upcoming projects and have made the decision to move the launch of Directive 8020 to the first half of 2026. The response to the game so far has been fantastic, and this additional time will help us deliver the very best experience for our fans. We’re deeply grateful for the patience and support of our community.”
In addition, the studio confirmed there has been no impact on the development of Little Nightmares 3, which is due for release in October.
Layoffs are ongoing across the industry, with another British studio – The Chinese Room – yesterday confirming layoffs following a management buyout.
That, of course, followed layoffs across Microsoft, including its gaming division, which has impacted employees and projects at Rare, ZeniMax, and The Initiative, among others.
Directive 8020 will be a continuation of the studio’s Dark Pictures series, which started with Man of Medan, followed by Little Hope, House of Ashes, and The Devil in Me. It stars James Bond and Marvel actress Lashana Lynch in the lead role of “ground-breaking astronaut” Young and is set to release across PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam.
Eurogamer’s former editor-in-chief Tom Phillips saw the game in action at last year’s Gamescom, calling it a “notable upgrade to the Dark Pictures Anthology’s formula”.
