That news Digital Bros. (and its publishing subsidiary 505 games) is a restoration in progress and not new. Last November, in a whirlwind of layoffs in 2023, they announced that they would be laying off 30% of their workforce, particularly those from the development studio. This restructuring, like the international spiral, seems to be still ongoing, now affecting the offices of Italian multinationals located throughout Europe.
As GameReactor has learned, 505 Games is without local representation in its subsidiaries on the old continent, as EA, Activision or 2K Games have done in recent years. This, apart from protecting the Milanese headquarters and the British company based on its functional difference, Germany, Spain and France come close (some after more than 15 years of operation) and cancel their jobs, mainly in marketing, communication and relations.
The number of affected employees is not higher than last year (less than 10 people), but it represents an important loss of a direct regional relationship, a move that other publishers have already made with questionable results.
All eyes on Control 2, Aceto Corsa 2 and Project Iron
And what about the plans being implemented? While today's news doesn't directly affect the development and publishing division, it does come with the completely coincidental announcement that Remedy now retains control rights to the sequel and whatever comes, I walked away with 505 games as they traveled. Point to make control 2 true.
A second big question mark hovers over the Aceto Corsa 2, which is expected to launch in 2024. Relation to Roman exploration Kunos Simulacioni Naturally narrow, and taking into account last year's ongoing studio restructuring and live layoffs, we now have to see how the label manages what was undoubtedly its stellar output for the current year.
Finally, let's not forget the excellent AAA dark fantasy project that 505 Games is preparing to release. Mercury Steam. Last summer Project Iron learned more exclusively about its narrative and powerful graphics by speaking with its director Enrique Alvarez, and while the game isn't expected until late 2024 or early 2025, the studio is completely independent despite owning the IP Digital Bros. Of course, it is also important to examine how the publisher is tightening its belt at all ends.
