Hi-Rez Studios has been hit with devastating news following a massive wave of layoffs. The American studio has reportedly laid off 50 to 60 employees, ultimately ceasing development and support for some of its most profitable games — primarily Paladins, an Overwatch-like shooter, and Smite 1, Hi-Rez’s take on the MOBA genre.
Ironically, no higher-ups appear to have been affected by this sudden restructuring.
The layoffs impacted employees inconsistently, cutting positions across various departments, including dedicated esports staff, social media teams, and production members.
This marks the third round of layoffs initiated by Hi-Rez, with many fans blaming CEO Stewart Chisam and the company’s board members for a series of reportedly poor decisions. In the wake of backlash from fans seeking answers, Chisam has deactivated his social media accounts.
The second round of layoffs occurred just six months ago, affecting members of Hi-Rez’s esports division, designers, and marketing team.
In this latest round of layoffs, more employees have come forward on X (formerly Twitter), revealing that they, too, have been impacted — including staff from QA, marketing, social media, and design.
One of those affected is @QuelFabulous, a senior UI artist responsible for designing Smite’s item and ability icons. Another is @LermyWermy (Lermster), a Smite designer who was caught off guard by the news. Their layoff has only fueled growing frustration among fans, who are now demanding an explanation from Hi-Rez leadership.
For Smite players, the decision to end support for the game feels both unexpected and disheartening. The development team poured years of passion into one of the few MOBAs that made a mark in the saturated MOBA market. Ending support for Smite raises concerns about the future of Smite 2, which remains in early access.
Despite the uncertainty, Smite 2 remains in active development and appears to be Hi-Rez’s main focus following the discontinuation of Smite, Paladins, and Rogue Company. While these games will no longer receive updates, servers will remain online for the foreseeable future.
For now, players hope that Smite 2 will find its footing under its current team. Meanwhile, fans of Hi-Rez’s games stand in solidarity with the affected employees, hoping they find opportunities at studios that recognize and respect their talent.
For more information, a Reddit megathread talks about the developing issue, as well as listing the many talented people who have been impacted.