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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchPieces Interactive employees were reported to have faced layoffs in April 2024, about a month after Alone in the Dark launched. The studio was later reported closed by June 17, 2024. The April report did not establish how many people were affected or give a formal reason for the layoffs.
Were Pieces Interactive employees laid off after Alone in the Dark?
Yes. On April 23, 2024, Insider Gaming reported that employees at Pieces Interactive were being laid off, citing posts from employees online. QA analyst Helena Hansen publicly confirmed her own layoff and referred to coworkers. The report reproduced her post: “I’m getting laid off.”
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Alone in the Dark - Compatible for PS5 - UK PAL (EU Version) | $24.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Alone in the Dark EU Version - Playstation 5 - RYL | $24.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Alone in the Dark - Xbox 360 | $11.96 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Alone in the Dark - PlayStation 2 (Renewed) | $21.91 | Buy on Amazon |
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The report did not confirm the total number affected. At publication, Hansen was the only person it identified as having confirmed the layoffs, and Insider Gaming said the number was unclear. It also said it had contacted Pieces Interactive and THQ Nordic for comment. The available reporting does not establish a formal explanation for the April layoffs.
When did the layoffs happen relative to the game’s release?
THQ Nordic’s release announcement says Alone in the Dark, developed by Pieces Interactive and published by THQ Nordic, launched on March 20, 2024. The April 23 layoffs report came roughly one month later.
#1 Best Overall
The announcement lists PC, Xbox Series S/X, and PlayStation 5 as platforms. It describes a Digital Deluxe Edition with a costume pack, vintage horror filter pack, and director commentary mode; on PC, that edition also included the official soundtrack and a digital artbook.
Did Embracer Group close Pieces Interactive?
Pieces Interactive was reported closed by June 17, 2024. Gematsu reported that Embracer Group had closed the Skövde, Sweden-based studio and reproduced a brief statement from the studio. In that statement, Pieces Interactive said: “Our last release was the reimagining of Alone in the Dark.”
Rank #2
- Explore Derceto Manor in this reimagination of Alone in the Dark, a love letter to the 90’s cult classic horror game
- Return to the roots of psychological horror and experience an atmospheric journey worthy of the game that started the genre
- Dive into a world full of sounds that make your skin crawl with a haunting, yet mesmerizing doom jazz soundtrack
- Enjoy the thrill of desperate survival in a world where reality starts to crumble, evil lurks in every shadow and ammunition is scarce
- Experience this nightmare from either Emily Hartwood’s or Edward Carnby’s perspective and unearth the dark secrets of a gothic mansion
Gematsu described Pieces Interactive as founded in 2007 and acquired by Embracer in 2017. The closure was reported after the April layoffs, but that later event does not establish why the earlier layoffs occurred.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- A New Inventory System ¿ Players utilize the pockets of protagonist Edward Carnby to hold items which they can view, switch and combine without leaving the game.
- Narrative intensity ¿ Taking its cues from blockbuster TV dramas, the story is told in a TV season style narrative structure based around episodes that deliver maximum intensity throughout and keep the player hooked.
- A Captivating Story ¿ Centered in iconic Central Park long-time series protagonist and paranormal specialist Edward Carnby returns to delve into the frightening events occurring in the Big Apple.
- Real World Rules ¿ In-Game movement has been designed to allow players to do almost anything that is physically possible in the real world.
- Photographic Rendering ¿ Game developer Eden¿s Propriety ¿Twilight¿ technology creates a lavishly detailed game world with highly realistic and advanced cinematographic effects.
Rank #3
- A New Inventory System ¿ Players utilize the pockets of protagonist Edward Carnby to hold items which they can view, switch and combine without leaving the game.
- Narrative intensity ¿ Taking its cues from blockbuster TV dramas, the story is told in a TV season style narrative structure based around episodes that deliver maximum intensity throughout and keep the player hooked.
- A Captivating Story ¿ Centered in iconic Central Park long-time series protagonist and paranormal specialist Edward Carnby returns to delve into the frightening events occurring in the Big Apple.
- Real World Rules ¿ In-Game movement has been designed to allow players to do almost anything that is physically possible in the real world.
- Photographic Rendering ¿ Game developer Eden¿s Propriety ¿Twilight¿ technology creates a lavishly detailed game world with highly realistic and advanced cinematographic effects.
What is confirmed—and what remains unknown?
- Confirmed in April reporting: Employees were reported to be facing layoffs; Hansen confirmed her own layoff and referred to coworkers.
- Not established: The exact number of employees affected and a formal reason for the April layoffs.
- Reported by June 17: Embracer Group had closed the studio, and the studio statement reproduced by Gematsu called Alone in the Dark its last release.
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