Following the critical acclaim but commercially disappointing launch of "Zero Parades: For Dead Spies," the studio ZA/UM has announced significant layoffs.

In a statement on X, ZA/UM confirmed that the game's performance "has not enabled us to sustain a studio of our current size." This has resulted in redundancy or at-risk notices for up to 32 workers across various departments. The game, released on May 21, reportedly peaked at 3,177 concurrent players on Steam shortly after launch, but numbers have since declined significantly.

These layoffs add to a challenging period for the gaming industry, with other major studios like Xbox Game Studios and Bungie also experiencing substantial staff reductions. ZA/UM emphasized that while the studio's structure is changing, its artistic purpose remains. The studio is also consulting with the ZA/UM Workers' Alliance during this process.