Some staff at Eternal Strands and ex-Ubisoft devs Yellow Brick Games report they’ve been laid off
Yellow Brick Games, the independent studio founded in 2020 and known for developing Eternal Strands, has begun laying off staff, according to reports from LinkedIn posts. The exact scale of the layoffs remains undisclosed, and the studio has not yet publicly commented on the workforce reductions.
The studio was established by Mike Laidlaw, the original creative director of the Dragon Age franchise, alongside several veteran developers from Ubisoft. Since its inception, Yellow Brick Games released Eternal Strands in January 2025—an action-adventure RPG that marked the studio’s first and, to date, only full commercial release. The game was self-published by the studio and received considerable attention within the gaming community. Following the game’s initial launch, the team released a free DLC expansion in April 2025, continuing to support their debut title. As of April 2024, the studio consisted of approximately 68 staff members.
The layoffs represent another casualty in the ongoing challenges facing independent game studios and the broader gaming industry, which has been marked by significant workforce reductions throughout 2024 and 2025. While the specific reasons behind Yellow Brick Games’ staff cuts remain unclear based on available information, the timing follows the release of their inaugural title and the subsequent content expansion. The news adds to a growing trend of industry restructuring as studios navigate market pressures, changing player preferences, and shifting economic conditions.