The developer of hit coming-of-age indie darlings Oxenfree and Oxenfree II, Night School Studio, has been hit by layoffs.
Game Developer has reported that an “undisclosed number of employees” have been laid off at the Netflix-owned studio. This follows on from the streaming giant closing its internal triple-A studio Team Blue, which was headed up by Halo creative lead Joseph Staten, in October 2024.
Former and current staff at Night School Studio have asked to stay anonymous, but have told Game Developer that they’re shocked at the news. The layoffs reportedly took place in January.
Netflix bought the studio back in 2021 when it initially announced plans to jump into the gaming sphere, and you can currently play over 80 games through the streaming service on Android and iOS. However, Netflix hasn’t shared how the service is performing.
The first Oxenfree dropped back in 2016, with a Switch port following in 2017. Self-published at the time, we loved the paranormal-focused adventure back in the day. It was followed by the less well-know Afterparty, a game where you attempt to outdrink Satan in hell. Oxenfree II launched in 2023, and a TV adaptation of Oxenfree is also reportedly in the works.
Netflix has declined to comment on the layoffs, but reportedly, they won’t affect the developer’s project.
It’s another blow to the video game industry which has been bombarded by studio closures and layoffs over the past two years, with 10:10 Games and Ubisoft just a few of the most recent studios affected. Our thoughts go out to all of those impacted.
