Funcom Announces Restructuring and Leadership Transition Amidst Layoffs
- Funcom will undergo restructuring and layoffs following the release of Dune: Awakening’s console versions.
- Rui Casais departs after 22 years, with Scott Junior appointed as the new CEO.
- The company remains committed to supporting Dune: Awakening and Conan Exiles moving forward.
Norwegian developer Funcom, known for titles such as Dune: Awakening and Conan Exiles, is entering a restructuring phase that will involve layoffs. This follows a previous restructuring effort around the same time last year after the initial PC release of Dune: Awakening.
As part of this transition, long-time CEO Rui Casais is stepping down after 22 years with the company, 11 of which he served as leader. Scott Junior, who has been with Funcom for 25 years and was instrumental in bringing Dune: Awakening to market as the executive producer, will take over as CEO.
The restructuring is necessitated by the completion of significant development work on Dune: Awakening, particularly following the release of its console versions on September 22, which introduced a new single-player mode. Funcom is shifting to a live service operation model, potentially requiring a smaller development team.
“Dune: Awakening has been the biggest project we have ever undertaken, requiring many years of significant development resources across our studios,” said Rui Casais in a press release. “Moving from full production into long-term post-launch development and operations requires a different organisation.” He added, “While we would have wanted everyone who helped build Dune: Awakening to continue with us, we cannot sustain the size and structure required during peak development as we move into this next phase. My focus now is ensuring the process is as supportive as possible for everyone affected, and to treat our colleagues with the respect and transparency they deserve.”
The press release indicated that Funcom will experience “a period of restructuring,” which will include “reducing the size of the organisation,” thereby necessitating the departure of valued colleagues. This process is set to begin immediately.
Looking ahead, Funcom reassured players that it remains “committed” to “supporting, expanding, and growing” Dune: Awakening and Conan Exiles. The company cited the recent Enhanced Edition of Conan Exiles as part of its ongoing commitment to these titles.
Dune: Awakening initially launched on PC in June, described as an ambitious fusion of survival and massively multiplayer online role-playing game elements. Players navigate life in the Dune universe, avoiding dangerous sandworms while trying to survive. A review at launch indicated a strong first impression.
Although the game’s initial launch saw significant player engagement, Funcom has been working to enhance its appeal as a traditional survival game by introducing features like private servers and a single-player mode, which allows for gameplay without other players. Recently, Funcom announced that one million “new survivors” have taken residence in the game, although this number does not directly translate to sales due to its availability on Game Pass.
News Courtesy of Eurogamer
