Summary
WWE 2K24developer Visual Concepts is the latest studio to be hit with layoffs. Visual Concepts is known for its work on 2K’s many different sports franchises likeNHL 2KandNBA 2K, andlast year’sLego 2K Drive.
Visual Concepts’sWWE 2Kgames have been gaining increased praise over the past couple of years, with bothWWE 2K22andWWE 2K23being seen as solid returns to form for the famous wrestling brand. Last month, Visual Concepts announced that it will head back into the squared circle forWWE 2K24, which will celebrate 40 years of WrestleMania in its 2K Showcase Mode and promises a wealth of new match types and playable characters like the recently confirmed Muhammad Ali.
Unfortunately, the road to WrestleMania is often paved with speedbumps, and it appears that Visual Concepts has fallen victim to a recurring trend in the gaming industry. According toGame Developer, former Visual Concepts art manager Brad Bowling announced on his LinkedIn page that he and many of his colleagues have been laid off. This comes not too long after software engineer Sydney F revealed that they too were let go by Visual Concepts’s Austin branch, only a year and a half after they were laid off from a previous job.
WWE 2K24’s Visual Concepts Is The Latest Studio To Be Hit With Layoffs
This is only the second round of layoffs at Visual Concepts over the past year, as it was reported that cuts were made across several departments last September. This culling of talent was part of anincreasing wave of layoffs throughout 2023and beyond, with developers like Ubisoft Montreal and Bungie reporting major cuts to their staff. 2024 looks like it will only continue this, as the past month alone has seen staffing cuts from Riot Games, Gearbox Software, andLords of the Fallenpublisher CI Games. Not even industry giant Microsoft is immune, as it announced layoffs across several divisions including Activision Blizzard’s customer service branch and Xbox’s physical retail teams.
Now it appears that Visual Concepts is cutting back its own workforce, roughly a month before itslatestWWE 2Kgameis set to hit stores. It’s always sad to hear when hardworking members of the video game industry are suddenly laid off, and hopefully the former members of Visual Concepts can find work again soon.
WWE 2K24
WHERE TO PLAY
FORTY YEARS OF WRESTLEMANIAWrestleMania is the biggest event in sports entertainment, where Superstars become WWE Legends. Experience a gripping retelling of WrestleMania’s greatest moments in 2K Showcase of the Immortals, where you can relive a collection of some of the most unforgettable, career-defining matches.AN ICONIC ROSTERWWE 2K24 boasts a star-studded roster featuring WWE Legends like “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Undertaker, and Andre the Giant, alongside current WWE Superstars like “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes, John Cena, Rhea Ripley, and Roman Reigns, whose larger-than-life entrances and signature moves are heightened by ultra-realistic graphics.NEW MATCH TYPESFrom Guest Referee to Casket, Gauntlet, and Ambulance matches, there are a bevy of new match types to experience in WWE 2K24, including support for multiple Superstars in Backstage Brawl.PROVE YOURSELF IN MyRISEUnleash your raw talent and become the undisputed champ in MyRISE, featuring two thrilling career arcs and original storylines chronicling your ascent to WWE stardom from the men’s and women’s divisions.BUILD YOUR FACTIONAssemble your favorite WWE Superstars and Legends in MyFACTION. Acquire cards, build a dominant faction, compete in online multiplayer and the all-new ranked quickplay. Plus, earn exciting promotional and final rank rewards as you climb the new seasonal leaderboard!
