Image from Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
The layoffs have also raised fresh questions about Senua, the third game in the Hellblade series, which was announced in June with a 2027 release window. Xbox announced the title at its June 2026 Games Showcase and said it was targeting a 2027 release. Xbox has not announced that Senua has been cancelled, but with Ninja Theory facing a proposed closure and developers now reporting layoffs, the game’s future remains uncertain.
Several Ninja Theory employees have said on LinkedIn that they have either been laid off or are facing redundancy, following Microsoft’s latest round of gaming cuts. Last month, Xbox said consultations were beginning over a proposed closure after two separate attempts to keep Ninja Theory open or make it independent fell through. Among those confirming that their jobs are at risk or have ended are technical sound designer Alessio Mellina, gameplay programmer Katrin Mair, PCap tech staff Xoe Subari, technical director Loong-Wei Ding, sound designer Matteo Tummino, senior technical artist Matt Le-Fevre, character artist Pietro Berto, technical artist Justin Pedersen and principal sound designer Daniele Galante, according to a report by VGC.
Micrsoft’s Xbox may have laid off more Ninja Theory developers. The developments come weeks after Xbox began discussing the possible closure of the Hellblade studio. The fate of Senua, the third Hellblade game, remains unconfirmed.