Report: Among Us 3D co-dev Schell Games lays off staff

Schell Games has laid off staff, marking a sharp turn for a studio long associated with a no-layoff stance. The Pittsburgh-based team is one of the co-developers on Among Us 3D, so the cuts are likely to be felt across ongoing production and support work tied to that project.

The exact number of people affected and which disciplines were hit haven’t been disclosed. That leaves open the usual questions about whether the reductions were concentrated in production, art, engineering, or support functions, but the practical impact is the same: fewer hands on live development and less buffer for schedule risk.

For developers, this is another reminder that even studios with a strong public reputation for stability can be forced into restructuring when project economics shift. Co-dev arrangements, VR production, and multiplayer-adjacent work can all be especially sensitive to changes in scope, funding, or release timing.

Schell Games has previously spoken at length about trying to avoid layoffs, which makes this move stand out even more. For teams elsewhere, it’s a useful case study in how quickly staffing plans can change when a project’s business case tightens, and why contingency planning matters even at established studios.