Cyan Worlds, the 37-year-old studio behind iconic PC games Myst and Riven, has announced layoffs affecting approximately half of its team. The Washington-based developer has cut 12 staff members, with the layoffs taking effect at the end of March 2025.
In a statement shared on social media, Cyan explained that “industry conditions have forced us into a tricky spot where we are having to weigh the future health of our studio against the month-to-month realities of game development in 2025.” The company noted that they had been “ultra-transparent” with employees throughout the past year about the “choppy waters” they were facing, making the news “not a surprise to the team” though it remained “deeply saddening for all of us.”
The affected positions reportedly specialized in fields including audio, quality assurance, art, and community management. Cyan has provided severance packages to those impacted and has published a list of affected employees (with their consent) to help them find new opportunities.
Despite these challenges, Cyan remains committed to securing funding for its next project and “restabilizing” the studio. The company assured fans that the layoffs would not affect the timing or delivery of any remaining rewards related to its Kickstarter campaign for Firmament, and the PlayStation release of Firmament is still scheduled for April 2025.
Cyan friends and family, we have some difficult news to share today.
— Cyan Worlds (@cyanworlds) March 28, 2025
(More details in-thread below.) pic.twitter.com/1MdAq10VvH
Founded in 1987, Cyan Worlds is one of the longest-surviving independent game studios in the industry. The company created Myst in 1993, which became one of the best-selling PC games of its time, and has continued to develop games including the recent Riven remake released last summer.
“We’ve been around for a very long time, and have been through tough times before,” the studio stated. “Our sincere hope is to continue to be around, and to provide the types of experiences that only Cyan can deliver.”
