Another round of layoffs at Hi-Rez Studios has reportedly affected numerous developers

Smite creator, Hi-Rez Studios, has reportedly laid off a minimum of 20 employees as part of another wave of job reductions.

Although no official announcement has been made yet by the company, users on the Smite subreddit, with input from GameDeveloper, have gathered messages from many developers reporting they were dismissed earlier today.

These significant cuts coincide with the recent introduction of Smite 2, which transitioned to a free-to-play business model after initially launching as a paid early access version.

Broadcast producer William Stonier expressed, "I'm heartbroken to announce that I was affected by the layoffs at Hi-Rez Studios today," per a post on LinkedIn.

Having spent three and a half years in live broadcast operations, managing everything from graphics to technical direction, Stonier is preparing for future career steps.

The latest dismissals are part of a pattern, with October seeing similar actions due to an "internal reorganization and reprioritization," according to a statement from Hi-Rez Studios.

Previously in June 2023, fewer than 30 staff members were let go amid restructuring efforts, reported via GameIndustry.biz.

In just January 2025, staffing reductions in the game industry impacted over 750 developers, affecting companies like Freejam, Splash Damage, Piranha Games, and Jar of Sparks, with Ubisoft reducing its workforce by 185 positions.

This week's developments also include news of additional layoffs by ProbablyMonsters, and job cuts at Iron Galaxy and Sumo Group.