Quantic Dream Provides Update on Star Wars Eclipse Amid NetEase Reductions and Closures

Quantic Dream, a well-known video game developer famous for titles like Heavy Rain and Detroit: Become Human, recently shared updates regarding its situation amidst the layoffs and studio closures experienced by many other studios supported by NetEase. The company is currently working on a new game called Star Wars Eclipse.

In a statement on LinkedIn, CEO Guillaume de Fondaumière reassured fans and employees that Quantic Dream’s teams had not been affected by NetEase’s cutbacks. He mentioned that the studio is “continuing to develop our projects at full pace.” This indicates that while other studios are struggling, Quantic Dream is maintaining its progress without any disruptions.

The company reported a record year in terms of revenue, achieving its highest earnings in its 28-year history during 2024. A large part of this success was attributed to its previous titles, especially Detroit: Become Human, which sold an additional two million copies last year, reaching a total of 11 million copies sold across PC and PlayStation platforms.

In his statement, de Fondaumière expressed sadness about the colleagues affected by the layoffs in other parts of the NetEase group. He extended his good wishes to those impacted, hoping they find new job opportunities soon. Both de Fondaumière and game founder David Cage thanked fans for their support and emphasized that the studios in Paris and Montreal are in good standing and have not been affected by the recent layoffs.

Although the statement did not specifically mention Star Wars Eclipse, de Fondaumière reassured everyone that Quantic Dream continues to work diligently on their projects. He expressed a strong commitment to delivering innovative and high-quality games in the future, but did not provide any timeline for when more information about Star Wars Eclipse would be available. The game was first announced in 2021, and since then, information about its release has been quite limited. In a previous update, the studio described the game’s development as “simmering,” implying they are working on it but are not yet ready to share more details.

Similar reassurances came from Paul Ehreth, the head of Anchor Point Studios, another studio backed by NetEase. Ehreth stated that their team had not experienced any layoffs and that they were excited about their ongoing game development, highlighting NetEase’s supportive role in their creative process.

However, while Quantic Dream and Anchor Point Studios have confirmed their stability, many other studios funded by NetEase remain uncertain. A recent report indicated that NetEase is examining several of its non-Chinese studios for possible sale. Some of the studios listed include GPTRACK50, Jackalyptic Games, Pincool, and Skybox Labs, among others. In response to this report, NetEase acknowledged that it is regularly reviewing all studios and projects to determine if changes are necessary.

NetEase’s cuts began late last year, affecting several teams, including Worlds Untold, created by Mass Effect veteran Mac Walters, and Jar of Sparks, led by Halo Infinite’s design boss, Jerry Hook. More recently, the company also made layoffs at Liquid Sword, founded by the creator of Just Cause, and made headline news for trimming staff from their Marvel Rivals project in the U.S. The goal of these layoffs was reportedly to enhance development efficiency.

In summary, while Quantic Dream is progressing well and remains unaffected by the recent industry turbulence, other studios under the NetEase umbrella are facing higher risks as the company continues to reorganize.