Good morning! I hope this hump day treats you well. Today, we’re talking about not one but two different video game studios announcing layoffs, a delay for Mouse: P.I. for Hire, Remedy’s CEO leaving, and some good news for Mortal Kombat fans. Welcome to the latest edition of Morning Checkpoint, Kotaku‘s daily roundup of gaming news and culture.
Remedy’s CEO Stepping Down Following FBC Firebreak Flopping
On October 22, Remedy Entertainment (Alan Wake, Control, FBC) confirmed to investors that the company’s CEO, Tero Virtala, was stepping down immediately. Virtala, who has been the CEO since 2016, mutually agreed with Remedy’s board of directors to leave the position. Remedy co-founder Markus Mäki will be the new interim CEO as the company looks for new leadership.
This is all happening in the wake of FBC: Firebreak, Remedy’s co-op shooter, flopping and failing to connect with a large audience. The studio is still committed to updating the game and making it better, with a large update still set to arrive in November, but in a statement shared with GameDeveloper a company spokesperson did admit that it was “revising some of its development plans” for FBC.
That Cool-Looking Classic Cartoon FPS Has Been Delayed
Mouse: P.I. for Hire has been delayed. The first-person shooter inspired by classic black-and-white cartoons like Steamboat Willie, has a lot of hype and excitement around it. And many fans expected the game to reveal a specific release date at the Galaxies Gaming Showcase on October 23. Seemingly to avoid fan disappointment, on October 22, publisher Fumi Games and developer PlaySide Studios announced on Twitter that Mouse had been delayed from 2025 to early 2026 and told people not to expect a specific date at the upcoming event.
“Our single highest priority is for the game to deliver you the best possible experience, and this will help ensure we can live up to that goal,” said Fumi Games & PlaySide Studios in the online statement.
Mortal Kombat 2 Movie Moves Release Date, Likely To Avoid Star Wars
Warner Bros’ upcoming live-action Mortal Kombat 2 movie has yet again changed its release date. Originally set to arrive in Halloween 2024, it was then pushed back until May 15, 2025. Now the date is moving once more, but this time it’s not a delay. Instead, Mortal Kombat 2 will hit theaters on May 8, about a week earlier than planned. It’s believed that this change is to help the movie avoid the upcoming Star Wars film The Mandalorian and Grogu, which hits screens on May 22.
Ubisoft Studio Behind Trials Is Set To Lay Off Up To 60 Employees
Layoffs are likely in the future for Ubisoft RedLynx, the development studio behind the popular 2D motorcycle series Trials. A new update was recently posted on the company’s website, announcing that Ubisoft has submitted a restructuring proposal for RedLynx that would see the studio shift focus from developing across multiple platforms to focusing on mobile games only.
If the proposal goes through, up to 60 employees will be laid off. Ubisoft says in the message posted on the website that this is part of the company’s “global efforts to simplify, reduce costs, and ensure a stronger prioritization and efficiency across the company’s worldwide studio network.”
Rovio Lays Off 36 Devs After Latest Angry Birds Game Underperforms
Oh, hey, look at that: More layoffs. As reported by Mobile Gamer on October 21, Rovio, the studio behind the mobile game juggernaut Angry Birds, is laying off 36 developers. A spokesperson for the studio told the outlet that the layoffs are a result of the newest Angry Birds game, Dream Blast, not meeting expectations, as well as Rovio continuing to “integrate” with new owner Sega.
ICYMI:
Watch This:
About the Author
