Devil’s Hunt, the action game from developer Layopi Games and publisher 1C Entertainment, launched on PC late last year. Console ports were expected to release early this year. However, new reports indicate no such launch is on the way, since, reportedly, the Warsaw-based studio has been shuttered following a failure to pay staff.
According to polish website PPE (via VG247), dealings at Layopi Games became suspect as early as November 2019, when employees were told they would be paid in three month installments to cover December, January, and February. Yet, this promised renumeration were never received.
At the start of January, employees were led to believe they’d soon receive payment for December. Again, no such compensation occurred. Instead, staff began hearing rumors of Layopi Games potentially going bankrupt. Last Friday saw things take yet another turn for the worse. Staff went to work only to find the office vacant, with all their belongings thrown in the trash.
Reportedly, none of Layopi Games’ employees were given a warning. And they’ve been unable to get in touch with their now-former boss, who allegedly deactivated the studio’s email account. The report from PPE claims the studio’s shuttering and the poor treatment of its workforce has been confirmed via posts on the gowork.pl website.
One excerpt from this week features a supposed former employee advising others to never work for the Layopi Games owner, as he is a liar who “does not pay.” A similar post from late January makes note of “communication problems and very poor management.” Issues of this nature ultimately led to a situation before Christmas, whereby employees were informed there was “no money.” They were additionally told the studio’s future hung in limbo. Instead of taking responsibility, the employer blamed the team’s failures on “external factors.”
Another gowork.pl post from even earlier in January echoes these sentiments and those of the PPE report, claiming employees are more likely to hear updates concerning Layopi operations from “third parties,” rather than from “an official source.”
Hopefully, all of Layopi Games’ affected employees receive the compensation they’re owed and soon find work.
