GamesAction RpgVisions of ManaVisions of Mana has only been out for a day, but its developer has reportedly lost most of its staff and is at risk of shutdownWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesAction RpgVisions of ManaVisions of Mana has only been out for a day, but its developer has reportedly lost most of its staff and is at risk of shutdownWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Ouka Studios / Square Enix)
The latest installment in the Mana series, Visions of Mana, finally released yesterday, but it’s been reported that developer Ouka Studios has lost most of its staff, and is at risk of shutting down altogether.
This comes froma report from Bloomberg’sTakashi Mochizuki, who claims that, according to sources familiar with the situation, Ouka Studios owner NetEase has cut most jobs at the studio, leaving only a few behind. Reportedly, these remaining few will oversee the studio’s final games before it winds down for good, as NetEase apparently plans to shut Ouka’s doors. It’s claimed that this comes as both NetEase and Tencent are considering scaling back their investments in Japanese studios following a lack of successful games, amid a comeback for the Chinese market.
Mochizuki adds on Twitterthat the situation at Ouka hasn’t happened overnight, as reportedly, NetEase has been making staff cuts at the studio since at least this spring. Neither the studio nor its owner have released a public statement about this, however, with the latter telling Bloomberg that it had “nothing to announce” about the matter.
If this is accurate, then it’s a huge shock – Ouka only opened its doors in 2020, and Visions of Mana has been one of the most hyped-up action RPGs of the year. It’s worth noting that critic responses to it have been somewhat mixed – in our ownVisions of Mana review, we gave it two and a half stars out of five – althoughits average score on Metacriticis currently ‘generally positive’ at 76. Even so, if it’s true that NetEase has been making cuts at Ouka for some time, then you wouldn’t think that this reception could have anything to do with the situation at the studio.
Layoffs in the games industry have sadly been rife for some time now, with the likes ofDestiny 2 developer Bungieand prominentindie game publisher Humble Gamesbeing just two of the recent workforces affected.
Baldur’s Gate 3 boss tells layoff-happy publishers to stop trying to “double” their money and instead “respect the people making the games.”
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1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
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Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
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Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
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3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
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4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4
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5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
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Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
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1
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2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
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3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
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4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4
Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
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5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5
Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”