Immortals of Aveum Dev Ascendant Studios Has Reportedly Furloughed the Majority of its Staff

Ascendant Studios, known for its first game, Immortals of Aveum, is facing economic challenges, resulting in the furloughing of most of its workforce. This decision leaves employees on indefinite unpaid leave but still officially under the company's employment.

Former Principal Engineer at Ascendant Studios, Kris Morness, who recently joined Phoenix Labs, shared on LinkedIn that about 30 employees have been impacted by this furlough decision. He expressed that being furloughed could be more distressing than being laid off and advocated for awareness and job assistance for the affected individuals.

Nicole Carpenter, a journalist from Polygon, echoed these sentiments. She noted that, based on her sources, a significant number of Ascendant's staff had been recently placed on furlough. Attempts to confirm specific details from Ascendant Studios did not receive any response.

This downturn follows the debut of Immortals of Aveum last year, which, despite its substantial $125 million development budget, faced underwhelming sales and mixed reviews. This was purportedly due to the crowded release window in 2023. The adverse reception led to an earlier decision by the studio, where approximately 45 percent of its workforce was laid off.

This sequence of layoffs and furloughs indicates continuing financial and operational difficulties for Ascendant Studios.