The Circuitry
THE CIRCUITRYYour one-stop source for all tech news
HOMETODAYNEWSFEEDEVENTS
BOOKMARKS
RSS
© 2026 The Circuitry
About UsSourcesContactCorrectionsPrivacy
  • Today
  • Feed
  • Events
  • Saved
Scroll for more
Verification
VERIFIEDConfidence: HIGH
Source identified
Claims cross-referenced
No discrepancies found
Fact-check summary

Multiple outlets including Rock Paper Shotgun, Kotaku, PC Gamer, and IGN corroborate IO Interactive's June 30, 2026 announcement of layoffs after its external partner ended work on Project Fantasy.

Sourcing
3independent sources

via IGN

IGN · track record
10Stories
100%Verified
030d
All sources →
From The CircuitryWhy The Circuitry

Verified tech news, cross-checked.

Every story is checked against independent sources before it posts — no rumors dressed up as fact.

How we verify →
Home/Gaming/IO Interactive Cuts Staff After Fantasy Game Partner Split
VERIFIEDBy Xavier Rivera· ·1.5 min read

IO Interactive Cuts Staff After Fantasy Game Partner Split

IO Interactive has laid off an undisclosed number of staff after ending its relationship with an external partner on its fantasy game project, widely believed to involve Xbox publishing. The move is unrelated to the successful release of 007 First Light, though it forces the studio to adapt its plans while pledging support for those affected.

Source:IGN
Post
IO Interactive Cuts Staff After Fantasy Game Partner Split
From The CircuitryWhy The Circuitry

Verified tech news, cross-checked.

Every story is checked against independent sources before it posts — no rumors dressed up as fact.

How we verify →
TL;DRAI · 60 sec read

IO Interactive cuts staff after ending its partnership with an external partner on a fantasy game. Reports indicate the partner was likely Xbox, as the project was previously slated as an exclusive. The layoffs result directly from this change and have no link to the success of 007 First Light. The studio commits to supporting those affected.

IO Interactive has announced layoffs after ending its relationship with an external partner on its upcoming fantasy game project.

IO Interactive ends external partnership on fantasy title. The Danish studio, known for Hitman and the recently released 007 First Light, confirmed the development via social media on June 30, 2026. Multiple outlets including Rock Paper Shotgun and Video Games Chronicle report the partner was widely believed to be Xbox, with internal 2023 documents listing Project Fantasy as an Xbox exclusive.
Multiple outlets including Rock Paper Shotgun and Video Games Chronicle report the partner was widely believed to be Xbox, with internal 2023 documents listing Project Fantasy as an Xbox exclusive.

The split has prompted staffing decisions at the studio. IO Interactive did not disclose the exact number of affected employees.
POST FROM @IOInteractive· official announcement tweet referenced and linked in the article
https://x.com/IOInteractive/status/2072005107797893315

Studio commits to supporting laid-off staff. In its statement, IO Interactive said it remained committed to supporting those impacted by the layoffs. Rock Paper Shotgun quotes the studio emphasizing its focus on helping the affected team members during the transition.
From The CircuitryThe Feed — live briefs across tech, all day.See what’s happening →

Video Games Chronicle reports the studio is now adapting to a new reality following the end of the publishing arrangement. The move comes despite the successful launch of 007 First Light, which the studio celebrated in the same social media post.
Both Rock Paper Shotgun and Video Games Chronicle note that the staffing changes stem directly from the fantasy project setback and have no connection to the positive reception of 007 First Light.

Layoffs unrelated to 007 First Light performance. Both Rock Paper Shotgun and Video Games Chronicle note that the staffing changes stem directly from the fantasy project setback and have no connection to the positive reception of 007 First Light. The studio highlighted the Bond game's success even as it addressed the layoffs.
From The CircuitryWhy The Circuitry

Verified tech news, cross-checked.

Every story is checked against independent sources before it posts — no rumors dressed up as fact.

How we verify →
IO Interactive has not provided further details on the future of Project Fantasy or potential new publishing arrangements. The studio continues work on its active titles while managing the impact of the partner split.
Why this mattersAI · ~100 words

Tap a lens to see what this story means for you.

Morning Brief

Liked this? The Brief brings you the whole day in tech, verified, every morning.

Two minutes, free forever. What's in The Brief →

Reader-supported
DonateBuy me a coffee →Follow@thecircuitry_ →Follow@thecircuitry.to →
HELP US IMPROVE
From The Circuitry

See what’s happening right now

The Feed runs all day — short, verified briefs the moment they break.

Open the Feed →
From The Circuitry

Follow @thecircuitry_

Every story we publish, as it happens. No noise between.

Follow on X ↗On Bluesky ↗

Reader-supported

The Circuitry is a passion project I've always wanted to build, and I love the work behind it.

Running it costs real money. APIs, hosting, time. To keep improving the site and growing this into something useful for everyone, those costs have to be covered.

Any contribution is appreciated. If not, no pressure. Thanks for reading.

Buy me a coffee
gaminglayoffsio interactive
More fromIGN
  • Xbox Confirms Major Outage Affecting Sign-Ins on PC and Consoles

    Gaming · 1mo
  • Commodore 77 Cyberpunk 2077 Edition Opens Preorders at $377

    Gaming · 1mo
  • Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Beta Gets Unplanned Spawn Fix

    Gaming · 1mo
More inGaming
  • Double Counter Breach Exposes Data Tied to Up to 28 Million Discord Accounts

    Gaming · 17h
  • Xbox Denies Report It Has Exclusive GTA VI Streaming Rights

    Gaming · 2d
  • Decompiled classics reach web browsers and new platforms

    Gaming · 3d
SupportThe Work

The Circuitry is reader-supported. If you find the daily brief useful, you can buy me a coffee to keep it going.

Buy a coffee →
From The CircuitryWhy The Circuitry

Verified tech news, cross-checked.

Every story is checked against independent sources before it posts — no rumors dressed up as fact.

How we verify →

MORE IN THIS BEAT

All Gaming →
  • Tech· 

    Supermassive Games Reportedly Lets Go of More Than 70 Staff

    Supermassive Games is said to have dismissed over 70 employees after an August redundancy consultation that anticipated as many as 75 cuts. Insider Gaming reports the reductions hit developers, artists, producers and senior management.

  • Gaming· 

    Triple-I Initiative October showcase reveals new games and updates

    The Triple-I Initiative October 2026 showcase delivered announcements and demos for more than a dozen indie titles. Several games now have firm release windows or new content arriving through early 2027.

  • Gaming· 

    Paramount developing live-action Cyberpunk 2077 movie, per Deadline

    Paramount Pictures is developing a live-action Cyberpunk 2077 film with Transformers producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura and CD Projekt Red attached to produce, Deadline reports. Variety has confirmed the project, and CD Projekt Red’s joint CEO welcomed Paramount as a “future partner.” No director, cast or release date has been announced.

  • Gaming· 

    GTA VI Adds Podcasts and Six Radio Stations

    Rockstar Games has confirmed GTA VI will include on-demand podcasts and at least six radio stations. The details add to the game’s audio features ahead of its November 19 launch.

  • Gaming· 

    Netflix Releases Conjuring Interactive Horror Game October 13

    Netflix will release The Conjuring: Unspoken, an interactive horror game, exclusively on its service October 13. The title lets players investigate a haunted inn using their phones as paranormal tools and make choices that affect the outcome.