{"id":33050,"date":"2026-04-29T02:03:05","date_gmt":"2026-04-29T02:03:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/?p=33050"},"modified":"2026-04-29T02:03:05","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T02:03:05","slug":"dead-by-daylight-studio-specifies-that-job-cuts-were-not-associated-with-union-engagement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/?p=33050","title":{"rendered":"Dead By Daylight Studio Specifies That Job Cuts Were Not Associated with Union Engagement"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

### Recent Job Cuts at Behaviour Interactive: A Summary of Events<\/p>\n

Last week, Behaviour Interactive, the studio known for the popular horror title *Dead by Daylight*, revealed job cuts impacting an undisclosed number of staff. The company pointed to a drop in demand for “mobile and casual external development projects” as the main reason for the reductions. Nevertheless, it was disclosed that some of the job cuts also affected the development team for *Dead by Daylight*. This announcement follows a recent union drive and increasing dissatisfaction with internal policies, leading many to speculate about the possibly retaliatory motives behind the layoffs.<\/p>\n

#### Context of the Layoffs<\/p>\n

In the aftermath of the layoffs, conversations on social media platforms like Reddit hinted at a possible connection to a recent visit from Game Workers Unite (GWU) Montreal, a grassroots organization advocating for labor rights in the gaming sector. Former employees verified that GWU distributed flyers to promote awareness of unionization just weeks before the layoffs occurred. Insiders have indicated that personnel at Behaviour expressed concerns regarding the company’s strategy for returning to the office and the implementation of generative AI in the workplace. Interestingly, some employees who voiced these concerns were among those laid off.<\/p>\n

In a statement to *Kotaku*, Behaviour Interactive firmly rejected any links between the layoffs and employees’ interests in unionization or discussions regarding AI policies. The company articulated that the job cuts were a strategic adjustment to align team roles with external market needs and internal project focuses. They stressed their commitment to supporting affected employees through this transition.<\/p>\n

#### Effect on the Workforce<\/p>\n

Behaviour indicated that around 3% of its workforce was affected by the layoffs, which translates to nearly 40 employees out of a total staff exceeding 1,300. Specifically, it was reported that close to 2% of the *Dead by Daylight* team, estimated to comprise 400 to 500 members, lost their jobs, leading to the departure of between 8 to 10 developers. This indicates that a substantial fraction\u2014one-fourth\u2014of those laid off held significant roles in Behaviour’s primary project.<\/p>\n

Despite these layoffs, the company currently lists 35 job openings on its website, indicating a continued need for new talent. Recent discussions with Behaviour’s leadership at the Game Developer’s Conference showcased the company’s optimistic outlook and plans for growth.<\/p>\n

#### Speculations and Issues<\/p>\n

The timing of the layoffs, which coincides with union outreach and internal grievances, has raised concerns about potential retaliatory actions against pro-union staff. Although GWU Montreal could not confirm these suspicions, they expressed awareness of the rumors and encouraged those affected by the layoffs to seek support for any perceived retaliatory actions.<\/p>\n

#### Conclusion<\/p>\n

The job cuts at Behaviour Interactive prompt significant questions about labor relations within the gaming industry, particularly in light of recent unionization efforts. While the company asserts that the reductions were strictly operational, the broader implications for worker rights and corporate responsibility cannot be ignored. As the gaming industry continues to change, the equilibrium between business imperatives and employee rights remains a crucial concern for studios and their workforce alike.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

<\/div>\n

### Recent Job Cuts at Behaviour Interactive: A Summary of Events<\/p>\n

Last week, Behaviour Interactive, the studio known for the popular horror title *Dead by Daylight*, revealed job cuts impacting an undisclosed number of staff. The company pointed to a drop in demand for “mobile and casual external development projects” as the main reason for the reductions. Nevertheless, it was disclosed that some of the job cuts also affected the development team for *Dead by Daylight*. This announcement follows a recent union drive and increasing dissatisfaction with internal policies, leading many to speculate about the possibly retaliatory motives behind the layoffs.<\/p>\n

#### Context of the Layoffs<\/p>\n

In the aftermath of the layoffs, conversations on social media platforms like Reddit hinted at a possible connection to a recent visit from Game Workers Unite (GWU) Montreal, a grassroots organization advocating for labor rights in the gaming sector. Former employees verified that GWU distributed flyers to promote awareness of unionization just weeks before the layoffs occurred. Insiders have indicated that personnel at Behaviour expressed concerns regarding the company’s strategy for returning to the office and the implementation of generative AI in the workplace. Interestingly, some employees who voiced these concerns were among those laid off.<\/p>\n

In a statement to *Kotaku*, Behaviour Interactive firmly rejected any links between the layoffs and employees’ interests in unionization or discussions regarding AI policies. The company articulated that the job cuts were a strategic adjustment to align team roles with external market needs and internal project focuses. They stressed their commitment to supporting affected employees through this transition.<\/p>\n

#### Effect on the Workforce<\/p>\n

Behaviour indicated that around 3% of its workforce was affected by the layoffs, which translates to nearly 40 employees out of a total staff exceeding 1,300. Specifically, it was reported that close to 2% of the *Dead by Daylight* team, estimated to comprise 400 to 500 members, lost their jobs, leading to the departure of between 8 to 10 developers. This indicates that a substantial fraction\u2014one-fourth\u2014of those laid off held significant roles in Behaviour’s primary project.<\/p>\n

Despite these layoffs, the company currently lists 35 job openings on its website, indicating a continued need for new talent. Recent discussions with Behaviour’s leadership at the Game Developer’s Conference showcased the company’s optimistic outlook and plans for growth.<\/p>\n

#### Speculations and Issues<\/p>\n

The timing of the layoffs, which coincides with union outreach and internal grievances, has raised concerns about potential retaliatory actions against pro-union staff. Although GWU Montreal could not confirm these suspicions, they expressed awareness of the rumors and encouraged those affected by the layoffs to seek support for any perceived retaliatory actions.<\/p>\n

#### Conclusion<\/p>\n

The job cuts at Behaviour Interactive prompt significant questions about labor relations within the gaming industry, particularly in light of recent unionization efforts. While the company asserts that the reductions were strictly operational, the broader implications for worker rights and corporate responsibility cannot be ignored. As the gaming industry continues to change, the equilibrium between business imperatives and employee rights remains a crucial concern for studios and their workforce alike.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":33051,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33050","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33050","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=33050"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33050\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/33051"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=33050"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=33050"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=33050"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}