Unlead Labs head calls transparency 'irresponsible' during layoffs
Unlead Labs studio head Philip Holt admitted that the leadership was "irresponsibly transparent" when preparing staff for layoffs. He described this approach as a way to be honest with employees during the studio's turbulent transition.
Following Xbox's announcement in July to divest the studio from the Xbox Game Studios portfolio, the workforce has navigated a complex period of restructuring. As the studio transitioned to independent ownership in late September, the threat of layoffs became a central concern for the team.
In an interview with The Game Business, Philip Holt explained that rather than maintaining a false sense of security, he chose to be upfront about the likelihood of job losses. He noted that leadership held direct conversations early on, informing the team that layoffs would likely occur under any scenario regarding the divestiture.
"Rather than keeping them in the dark and manufacture some alternate reality, I just brought them alongside," Holt stated. He emphasized the importance of empathy, noting that employees facing job insecurity and uncertainty regarding the future of their projects needed clarity. While the layoffs were painful, Holt believes the transparency served as a courtesy that helped staff prepare for the reality of the situation.
Despite the organizational changes, development on State of Decay 3 remains the studio's priority. The zombie survival title, originally announced in 2020, is still on track for a 2027 release.
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