Tencent’s cyberpunk rival to Grand Theft Auto is in trouble as its developer lays off 80 people
Tencent’s ambitious cyberpunk open-world game Last Sentinel is effectively cancelled, with developer Lightspeed LA laying off 80 people following the publisher’s decision to abandon the project.
The game, envisioned as a rival to Grand Theft Auto, had been in development for six years prior to its announcement at The Game Awards in 2023. However, the project faced mounting skepticism after promotional videos released last year failed to show actual gameplay footage, raising questions about the game’s development status.
Last Sentinel encountered multiple delays throughout its development and experienced at least one partial project reboot. These setbacks, combined with the persistent absence of tangible progress or gameplay footage to demonstrate to the public, apparently eroded Tencent’s confidence in the project’s viability.
According to Bloomberg, Tencent has decided not to move forward with Last Sentinel, resulting in the substantial layoff at Lightspeed LA. The cancellation marks a significant setback for Tencent’s gaming portfolio and reflects the publisher’s reassessment of its major AAA projects.