Bold warning for game studios: the dream of a blockbuster release can collide with harsh funding realities. Three Fields Entertainment, the studio behind the THQ Nordic-published racer Wreckreation, has informed its team that they are being placed on redundancy notice. This unsettling news came from CEO Fiona Sperry via LinkedIn, where she opened with a straightforward, hard-hitting message: after twelve years of building and nurturing the studio, she must announce that the entire team will be put on notice of redundancy.
Wreckreation launched on October 28, and Sperry explained that the company anticipates no revenue from game sales in the near term. Much of the year’s development and post-launch content was funded by the studio itself, without ongoing financial backing from the publisher. This combination—no guaranteed income and no publisher support—made sustaining the studio untenable under its current structure. Sperry described the decision as unbelievably painful, underscoring the emotional and financial strain involved.
In the LinkedIn post, Sperry noted that the team had a robust pipeline of features, updates, and creative concepts. A video linked in the post showcases some of this in-progress work, with Sperry hoping that sharing it publicly might reveal a renewed opportunity somewhere down the line. Even if no opportunity emerges, she wants the exhibit to stand as a testament to the studio’s vision, and to the talent, passion, and craftsmanship of its small team. She reiterated a belief in the game’s potential and in the people who built it.
The layoffs at Three Fields aren’t happening in isolation. THQ Nordic has other affiliated studios that have recently faced workforce reductions. For instance, Pieces Interactive reportedly laid off staff following the release of Alone in the Dark. This context is notable because THQ Nordic sits under the Embracer Group umbrella, which has embarked on multiple restructurings in recent years. In the same week, Eidos-Montréal, also part of the Embracer family, reportedly cut jobs and canceled many internal projects.
Game Developer reached out to THQ Nordic for additional details about the situation.
About the author
Diego Nicolás Argüello is a freelance journalist and critic based in Argentina. His early experiences with video games helped him learn English, which he now uses to cover the industry for outlets like The New York Times, NPR, Rolling Stone, and more. He runs Into the Spine, a platform supporting emerging writers, and co-hosts Turnabout Breakdown, a podcast about the Ace Attorney series. He’s probably playing a rhythm game while you read this.
