Video game studio Behavior Interactif cuts nearly 100 positions

Behavior Interactive announced Tuesday that it will eliminate up to 95 positions, including 70 in Montreal. This is the second wave of layoffs for this independent studio, the largest in Canada.

The developer of the survival horror video game Dead by Daylight, which has tens of millions of followers around the world, had fired around forty people in January. Marie-Eve Boisvert, vice-president of communications at Behavior Interactif, then declared that the company remained in excellent financial health. A position that she maintains.

Behavior remains in good financial health. Despite the challenges posed by the competitive landscape of the video game industry, Behavior has maintained a stable financial position.

Less than two months later, the company announced the acquisition of Montreal studio Fly, which specializes in immersive productions. Asked about the possibility that the laid-off people would be reassigned to this new branch, Dominique Lebel, vice-president of business development and immersive experiences at Behavior Interactif, responded in the negative, adding that it was not a question of not the same resources or the same skills.

Behavior Interactive, which has 1,300 members worldwide, has grown from one to seven studios in less than two years. This meteoric expansion allowed it to extend its tentacles first to Toronto, then to the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States.

A difficult time

Behavior Interactive justifies this new wave of layoffs by a difficult time for the video game industry.

Behavior has a new vision for the future based on the pillars that make it strong.

The company, which develops its own games, but also works alongside global industry leaders, says that the unprecedented growth of the industry has also led to a particularly competitive environment.

The studio indicates an effort to refocus on the horror game, its production expertise, and [son service] to its development partners.

I would like to express my deep appreciation to all employees involved.

Although our new strategic vision and the changes it brings have required some difficult decisions to be made, we are confident that they will ensure our success. As a new chapter in the studio’s history begins, our commitment to excellence in our products and our corporate culture remains absolute.

Behavior Interactive specifies that its service activity, as well as the development of Dead by Daylight will not be affected by these changes.

The video game industry has been under attack for several months around the world, including in Quebec. Eidos Montreal had to cut 97 positions in January, and Beenox, which has a studio in Quebec and another in Montreal, fired 42 people in February. In May, Radio-Canada learned that 17 people had lost their jobs at Gearbox, also located in these two Quebec cities. On Monday, Avalanche announced the closure of its Montreal studio, inaugurated less than a year ago.

This is in addition to the reduction in tax credits for this sector of activity, a measure announced in the recent Girard budget, and which will have a perverse effect on small businesses, according to Jean-Jacques Hermans, director of the Quebec Video Game Guild.

Marie-Eve Boisvert states that employee departures are not linked to budget cuts following government announcements.

Our personnel decisions are based on internal strategic considerations and ensuring we effectively align our resources with our strategic objectivesshe added.