NaturalMotion facing potential layoffs in US and UK

Sources claim staff have already been let go, Birmingham studio reportedly closed

Image credit: NaturalMotion

Zygna-owned developer NaturalMotion is expected to lay off an unknown number of staff across its studios in the US and UK.

Sources told GamesIndustry.biz that job cuts have already begun, and that the company has shut down its racing-focused studio in Birmingham, which was announced back in 2019.

We reached out to Zynga for comment and confirmation, and were told the company is currently reviewing its UK and US teams, which “may impact a number of roles.”

When pressed about claims staff have already been let go, a spokesperson said they “don’t have any more information to share outside of the statement at this time.”

The full statement reads: “An important part of connecting the world through games is being committed to operating efficiently. As part of this effort, we have made the difficult decision to review our UK and US operations, which may impact a number of roles in the US and UK. We believe these changes will help to ensure that the studio is sustainable for the long term and aligned with our future development needs.

“Importantly, we do not anticipate any disruptions in service to our players during this transition, and we will work closely with affected employees to ensure they are treated with the utmost consideration, respect, and care.”

Zynga itself is owned by Take-Two, which announced it was making layoffs across its business earlier this year. The publisher said it expected to lay off 5% of its employees by the end of the years, estimated to be approximately 580 people.