Frostpunk Developer 11 Bit Studios Cancels First Console-Centric Project, Layoffs Incoming

11 Bit Studios has canceled Project 8, its console-centric game that began development around 2018. As of September 2024, 37 team members were involved in the project.

“Our vision for Project 8, which was intended to be our first title designed specifically for console gamers, was bold and exciting. However, it was conceived under very different market conditions, when narrative-driven, story-rich games held stronger appeal,” said president Przemysław Marszał in a statement.

He blamed COVID for some of the game’s setbacks, and over time, delays accumulated and the project’s budget grew. During Project 8’s most recent milestone, the studio found that unresolved issues and challenges would have extended development time, and lost confidence in completing the game within a reasonable timeframe and at satisfactory quality. Thus, it was canceled.

An unknown number of developers will be laid off as a result of Project 8’s cancellation, and some employees will be offered opportunities to transition to existing projects.

11 Bit Studios’ latest game, Frostpunk 2, was released in September. It won the award for Best Strategy Game at The Game Awards 2024. This year’s show also introduced the “Game Changer” award for Amir Satvat, who has helped laid-off game developers find openings at other companies over the last year.

In GameSpot’s Frostpunk 2 review, we said, “Frostpunk 2’s challenging gameplay makes for a compelling experience despite a dour and cynical view of human nature.”