Romero Games Shoots Down Closure Reports, Says “Several Publishers Interested In Helping Us” Following Microsoft Layoffs
Romero Games has denied the allegation that “everyone is out of a job” following the Microsoft layoffs, after the claim came from an anonymous employee. Said employee also claimed Microsoft had made “no mention” of layoffs coming, even in a meeting the day before.
As previously reported — amid Microsoft laying off over nine-thousand people that included “hundreds” in their gaming division — the founder of Romero Games, Brenda Romero, alluded to a publisher cancelling their funding. Posts by former employees on LinkedIn would eventually claim this publisher was Microsoft.
“We have some difficulty news to share. Last night, we learned that our publisher has canceled funding for our game along with several other unannounced projects at other studios,” Romero announced.
“This was a strategic decision made at a high level within the publisher, well above our visibility or control. We deeply wish there had been something, anything, we could have done to prevent this outcome.”
“This absolutely isn’t a reflection of our team’s work, performance, or the quality of the project itself. We hit every milestone on time, every time, consistently received high praise, and easily passed all our internal gates. We are incredibly proud of the work being done, and the talented team behind it. The best we’ve worked with,” Romero praised.
“We’re currently evaluating next steps and working quickly to support our team. Many of us have worked together for more than a decade, some for over 20 years. It’s an extremely difficult day, and we’re heartbroken that it’s come to this,” Romero shared. “If you know of any opportunities or ways you can help our incredible team, please reach out. “
“Thank you to everyone who’s offered support and kindness and encouragement during this difficult time,” she concluded.
The day after, The Journal reported how dire the situation was, tipped by an anonymous Romero Games employee who claimed, “Everyone is out of a job.” The reason this didn’t include the source as well (cited as an employee rather than former employee) is presumably because they meant it was inevitable; stating the studio lacks funding to complete their unannounced FPS game.
The source said the layoffs were “a big shock,” and shared how callous Microsoft were. “We had meetings with the publisher the day before this happened, there was no mention of it. We were being told we were making great progress. So this came completely out of the blue.”
The employee says that while the team had concerns, given other Microsoft and Xbox layoffs, they believed the project was so close to completion that Romero Games were in the clear. “It seemed so far away for us. The title was pretty well developed at the time.”
“We’re trying to find other ways of funding the project. But for now, it’s completely closed, and the studio is closed,” the employee claimed.
Unsurprisingly, the sudden nature of the announcement left an “emotional toll” on staff. “It’s not just about losing the job,” the employee explained. “In this kind of work, you leave a little part of your soul in what you’re doing. For people not to be able to share what they did – it’s frustrating.”
“It was work we were very proud of. For some people, it was years of their lives.” In their report, The Journal mentions that, per company accounts from 2024, Romero Games directly employed around 42 people, but those working on the game — now laid off — are over a hundred.
Apart from the company offices in Galway, Dublin, those affected are reportedly from the USA, Australia, Sweden, and South Africa.
The Journal also reports the latest Romero Games accounts (via Business Plus) showed it had profits of €1.2 million in 2023, and €1.5 million in 2024. Those earnings were thanks to project-based contracts. With no support, the studio physically can’t continue to make games.
However, Romero Games would once again take to X — denying the claims made in the widely reported news. “We want to address recent reports regarding the status of Romero Games. These reports have contained inaccuracies, and we feel it’s important to set the record straight.”
Romero Games then reiterated, “The funding for our project was pulled, and our game was canceled. Due to confidentiality agreements, we cannot disclose the publisher’s identity, though some may infer it from public information. As a result, we now have to reassess the entire staffing of our studio.”
The studio declared, “Romero Games is not closed, and we are doing everything in our power to ensure that it does not come to that. Any suggestion otherwise is factually incorrect. Indeed, we were in the studio today to discuss next steps with the team.”
“We’ve been contacted by several publishers interested in helping us bring the game across the finish line, and we’re currently evaluating those opportunities,” Romero Games asserted. “We appreciate the outpouring of support and will share further updates as we are able.”
Romero Games previous titles include Empire of Sin (2020), and Megawads for DOOM and DOOM II – SIGIL (2019) and SIGIL 2 (2023).
NEXT: Microsoft Lays Off “Hundreds” Of Gaming Division Employees, Cancels Multiple Projects Including ‘Perfect Dark’ And ‘Everwild’
