Report: WWE 2K26 dev Visual Concepts is laying off staff

Visual Concepts, the developer behind the NBA 2K and WWE 2K franchises, has conducted a round of layoffs affecting an unknown number of employees. The cuts were announced Wednesday through multiple LinkedIn posts from affected staff members, including software engineers and game designers.

While the layoffs were company-wide, the WWE development team was disproportionately impacted, including staff from both the main WWE 2K project and the WWE 2K25: Netflix Edition. Sources described the scale of cuts as “not insignificant,” though none provided specific numbers.

Among those affected was an employee who was laid off while on sick leave following a recent diagnosis of an autoimmune disorder. The timing drew particular attention from those sharing their experiences online.

Despite WWE 2K25: Netflix Edition performing well in downloads and critical reviews, Netflix reportedly felt the title failed to meet internal expectations. One source indicated the streaming platform had anticipated greater success from the release.

Visual Concepts is owned by 2K Games, which also publishes the sports titles the studio develops. This marks another significant staffing reduction in the games industry.