Hamburg-based games developer Fishlabs has announced approximately 50 job cuts following a lack of approval or financial backing for the new Project Black. As a subsidiary of Plaion, Fishlabs will continue to co-create projects with its owner and connected network.

Notably, Fishlabs co-founders Michael Schade and Christian Lohr already left the company back in 2013 after the buyout and formed Rockfish Games, continuing their decades-long journey in the games industry together along a new stream away from mobile.

Around that time, restructuring meant 25 employees were let go.

Downstream decisions

As for the current 50 job cuts, attempts were made to avoid them, but ultimately the decision has been reached and Plaion has announced: "Sadly we have to confirm that the internal group-wide restructure efforts have affected Fishlabs. We have to bid a regretful goodbye to many talented, inspired, and hard-working people."

"For over 15 years our team at Fishlabs has been pouring their heart, soul, and hard work into some of the most loved games and creative projects out there. We’ve always been proud of the team we have built," Fishlabs said.

"Unfortunately, the challenging year in the industry, as well as the challenges of internal group-wide restructuring efforts have affected our team after all."

This refers to Embracer Group’s restructuring - the Swedish video games holding company that owns Plaion, which owns Fishlabs. Embracer has had a difficult year, after all, with disappointing financial results and a drop from S&P lists only the beginning of a long list of woes.

Restructuring became necessary after disastrous spring financials, and even though sales proceeded to rise over the summer, Embracer confirmed 900 employees were being laid off.

The impacts of a weaker year for Embracer have had a trickle-down effect, with its subsidiary Digic having to lay off 10% of its workforce. Now Embracer’s subsidiary’s subsidiary Fishlabs needs to do likewise.