Killing Floor Studio Tripwire Interactive Lays Off 36 Staff Just Days After Expanding Its Publishing Business
Killing Floor and Maneater developer Tripwire Interactive has laid off 36 employees, the studio confirmed this week. It’s the second round of cuts at Tripwire this year, after 23 staff were let go in March, and comes just days after the studio announced an expansion of its Tripwire Presents publishing label to support smaller independent developers.
Tripwire Calls the Cuts “Necessary”
In a statement shared by the studio, Tripwire said the workforce reduction affected 36 people across the company, describing it as a tough but needed step for the organization going forward. The studio added that it would support those affected with compassion during the transition, and that its remaining team is focused on internal projects, including active development of Maneater 2, ongoing work on Killing Floor 3, and publishing efforts under the Tripwire Presents label.
“Not an easy decision, but unfortunately a necessary one for the organization.”
Tripwire Interactive, in its statement on the layoffs
A source at the studio told PC Gamer that the cuts were substantial, leaving roughly 40 to 50 employees at Tripwire going forward. The company has not given an official reason for the layoffs beyond pointing to the evolving needs of the business.
A Rocky Year for Killing Floor 3, With Maneater 2 Still Ahead
The layoffs land during a difficult stretch for Tripwire’s best known franchise. Killing Floor 3, released in 2025 after a lengthy delay and a rocky stress test period, currently sits at a “mixed” user review rating on Steam, with a concurrent player count that’s a small fraction of 2016’s Killing Floor 2 at the same point in its life. It’s not clear whether the game’s performance played a role in this week’s cuts.
Killing Floor 3, released in 2025, remains one of the live projects Tripwire’s surviving team is still supporting.
On the other side of its catalog, Tripwire announced Maneater 2 back in September, five years after the original shark-action game became one of the studio’s biggest success stories. The sequel remains in active development despite this week’s cuts, alongside the studio’s newly expanded push to publish smaller indie titles under Tripwire Presents.
An Independent Studio With a Turbulent History
Tripwire was founded in 2005 by John Gibson and Alan Wilson. Gibson stepped down as CEO in 2021, with Wilson taking over as interim chief before the Embracer Group acquired the studio in 2022 through its then-subsidiary Saber Interactive. Former CFO Matthew LoPilato was promoted to CEO in 2024, the same year Embracer sold off Saber Interactive for $247 million while choosing to keep Tripwire. This week’s layoffs are the latest sign of pressure across Embracer’s games portfolio as the group continues to restructure its holdings.
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Picture Source: Tripwire Interactive, Tripwire Interactive
