Don't Nod Laid Off 90 Employees from French Department and Could Be Shut Down Early Next Year

Don't Nod, the developers behind games such as Life is Strange, Lost Records: Bloom and Rage, and this year's Aphelion, are going through a rough patch. According to recent reports, the company has had to carry out another round of layoffs, and, what’s more, there’s a chance the studio could close down early next year.

The studio recently published a new financial report stating that in the first half of 2026, the company’s operating revenue fell by 56% compared to the same period last year. Revenue itself also declined, dropping by 14%. The studio is already facing certain financial difficulties, and under current circumstances, it will be able to continue operations until January 31, 2027. Furthermore, it's been reported Don't Not laid off 90 employees from their French department recently.

The studio has already faced another round of layoffs this summer, and even then, it was reported that Tencent, the developers’ parent company, was not interested in providing Don’t Nod with additional funding. Apparently, the financial and critical failure of Aphelion, the studio’s new game, released this April, appears to have been, if not the final nail in the studio's coffin, then certainly one of the last.

It would be a real pity if the studio behind games like Life is Strange, Remember Me, Vampyr, Lost Records: Bloom and Rage, shut down permanently. Even though these games aren’t AAA titles, they’ve managed to find their audience. Clearly, Don’t Nod has creative potential and the ability to produce unusual projects, but sometimes the gaming industry goes through dark and unfair times. We can only hope some magic happens and that Don’t Nod continues not just to survive, but to thrive.