Sega cancels PvPvE shooter Hyenas, starts layoffs at developer Creative Assembly
Some unannounced games have also been canceled.
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What you need to know
One of Sega’s big upcoming games is no longer in development.
Segasharedon Thursday that Hyenas has been canceled following a portfolio review of the company’s European games business. A few unannounced titles have also been canceled.
Announced back in June 2022, Hyenas was a live service game being developed by Creative Assembly, a team of studios under Sega that are best known for theTotal Warstrategy series, but also for the first-person survival-horror game, Alien: Isolation. The game focused around different teams of players entering derelict space ships to hunt down memorabilia from the old world, such as figurines of Sonic the Hedgehog.
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While it’s unclear how many jobs exactly will be affected by this game cancellation, layoffs are occurring at Creative Assembly, with Hyenas’social media managerone of the first to be let go. Hyenas had been in development for years, with multiple betas and a large presence at Gamescom 2023 just a few weeks ago.
Earlier in the year,Sega also oversaw layoffs at Relic Entertainment, another studio in the European division of the company. SomeSega of America workers have also unionized, forming the largest multi-department union in North America.
Outside of the now-defunct Hyenas, Creative Assembly is preparing to launchTotal War: Pharaoh, as well as continuing support forTotal War: Warhammer 3.
Analysis: A surprising change of pace
Hyenas wasn’t my most anticipated game, but it was still interesting to see Creative Assembly branching outside of its strategy foundations. This cancelation is surprisingly solely because of how far along into development the game was, and I’d love to know what data led Sega to this decision.
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At the end of the day though, it’ll be the developers that suffer, and I hope everyone laid off from Sega can find new jobs sooner rather than later.
Samuel Tolbert is a freelance writer covering gaming news, previews, reviews, interviews and different aspects of the gaming industry, specifically focusing on Xbox and PC gaming on Windows Central. You can find him on Twitter@SamuelTolbert.
