Poland’s 11 Bit Studios recently announced that it has made the difficult decision to lay off some employees, although the exact number wasn’t specified. The company also shared news on its website that it has decided to halt work on Project 8, which was meant to be its debut console-focused game. Work on this project had kicked off back in 2018, and by 2024, around 37 staff members were involved in its development.
To date, 11 Bit had invested PLN 48.4 million, which translates to roughly $11.8 million, into Project 8. However, after conducting a detailed evaluation, the company decided to cancel it. The project apparently faced numerous setbacks, some of which were attributed to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Przemysław Marszał, the company’s president, shed light on the decision, saying, “Our vision for Project 8 was to deliver a groundbreaking title tailored for console gamers. It’s a vision that was born under different market conditions, at a time when story-rich, narrative-driven games had a stronger pull.”
Marszał further elaborated, “In evaluating any project, our Management Board examines its progress, taking into account both internal feedback and independent surveys. We also assess market analyses alongside the game’s sales and marketing potential. Unfortunately, in this instance, our reviews highlighted unresolved challenges that would necessitate prolonging the production timeline and increasing the budget—alongside revised sales forecasts due to the evolving market climate. All of these factors significantly clouded the project’s viability.”
