The Studio Behind Myst Parts Ways With Half of Its Team
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Key points
- Cyan Worlds fired 12 staff members on March 29 and gave them severance packages.
- According to the post, the studio’s focus is now on securing funding and hoping to stay in the industry.
- Cyan Worlds is the studio behind Myst and Riven.
Cyan Worlds, the studio behind Myst and Riven, has laid off “roughly half” of its team. The layoffs were announced on the developers’ Twitter account on March 29.
“Industry condition have forced us into a tricky spot,” the post reads. Cyan Worlds has parted ways with 12 staff members. The post also mentions that the layoffs weren’t a surprise to the studio, but it was still “deeply saddening for all of us.”
The staff members laid off have been given severance packages to soften the blow for them. A Google Spreadsheet linked in the replies to the announcement contains the names, portfolios, locations, and more of each laid-off employee. Cyan World is asking developers to contact them or the studio directly if they have opportunities for those affected.
The post also adds that the studio’s current priority is securing financing for its next project and restabilizing. “Our sincere hope is to continue to be around, and to provide the types of experiences that only Cyan can deliver.”
Cyan Worlds has a history of crowdfunding. Firmament, an adventure game released in 2023, used Kickstarter for its funding. The studio’s Kickstarter account also has a crowdfunding page for the 25th Anniversary Collection of Myst.
The studio has also released remakes of the games that made them a staple in the games industry. Myst’s full 3D remake was released in 2020, while Riven’s was released in 2024. Both of them have very positive reviews on Steam.
