Devolver Digital Cuts Nearly Half of Nerial Staff
Apr 23, 2025 1:31 PMDevolver Digital has announced significant layoffs at Nerial, the developer behind the popular Reigns series, reducing the team by 40 percent. This strategic decision aims to address challenges resulting from recent releases and to reshape the studio for future projects. In the same context, Devolver also downsized another internal studio, Artificer, by 50 percent. This follows a broader trend within the company, which has seen its overall staff decrease from a peak of 303 in late 2023 to approximately 270. The Reigns franchise has been a commercial success, generating over $20 million across five titles, and also includes notable projects like The Crush House and Card Shark, further showcasing Nerial's innovative approach to game design.
What are the implications of the layoffs at Nerial for future Reigns games?The layoffs may initially slow down the development of future titles in the Reigns series, but they could also lead to a more focused and efficient team. This restructuring aims to address past issues and ensure that upcoming releases are of high quality and better received by the audience.
Nerial is acclaimed for the Reigns series, known for its unique decision-making gameplay that combines strategy with narrative elements. The studio, acquired by Devolver Digital in 2021, has also released offbeat games like The Crush House, a satirical take on reality TV, and Card Shark, which involves trickery in card games, showcasing its creative and unconventional approach to game development.
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Jordan Keats is a former professional gamer turned journalist, whose competitive background gives them a unique perspective on esports and multiplayer games. Jordan's expertise in strategy and game mechanics is unmatched, offering readers a deeper understing.
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Rolling R!ck commented on: 2025-04-23 13:48:11
It’s never easy seeing layoffs hit creative studios, especially ones like Nerial that bring such unique ideas to the table. Here’s hoping the streamlined team can keep that innovative spark alive while delivering solid Reigns experiences. Devolver’s cuts sting, but if this means Nerial can double down on what makes their games special, maybe we’ll see even more clever twists in future titles. Fingers crossed
N3rdo commented on: 2025-04-23 13:42:10
Tough break for Nerial, but hopefully this reshuffling means we’ll get even tighter, more polished Reigns games down the line. Devolver’s track record gives me some faith they’ll handle this transition well. Layoffs always suck, but if this means Nerial can focus on quality over quantity, I’m here for it—Reigns’ quirky charm deserves that attention to detail.
