Report: 30+ Staff Have Left Crytek UK Since 2011, Morale is "Low"

[UPDATE] A report from Kotaku, based on conversations with anonymous developers who work at Crytek, claims that the studio has canceled multiple games over the past few months. These include original prototypes and a sequel to Xbox One launch title Ryse: Son of Rome. The company is also struggling to pay its employees, the report claims.

The original story is below.

As claims about problems at Crytek have come to light, Eurogamer reports today that 30+ staff have left Crytek UK since development on Homefront: The Revolution began in 2011, and that morale at the Nottingham-based studio is "low."

A list of developers who departed the company provided to Eurogamer shows that they included staff who held "key positions" in the art, design, and programming departments. Crytek UK's website says the studio employs around 130 people in total.

Separately, Kotaku reported yesterday that Crytek UK managing director Karl Hilton recently left his role at the company. Hilton co-founded Free Radical Design, which would later become Crytek UK.

One source told Eurogamer that the high turnover at Crytek UK is the result of staff not being paid on time on multiple occasions. Another source said they began to have suspicions about tough times at Crytek UK in the middle of last year, when bonuses were reportedly withheld. Currently, morale is "low" and staff feel "lost," according to the source. Eurogamer also reports that there is a "general lack of trust in management" at the company.

The report goes on to say that some Crytek UK developers have moved on to Star Citizen developer Cloud Imperium Games, which has an office in Manchester, UK. Star Citizen runs on Crytek's CryEngine.

A recent article from German magazine GameStar claimed Crytek was close to bankruptcy, but Crytek would later deny this report. It's unclear what effect, if any, the current situation at Crytek UK could have on Homefront: The Revolution. Publisher Deep Silver and Crytek declined to comment.

Another source speaking with Eurogamer painted a more positive picture of the currently situation at Crytek UK. This person said there remains a number of "high quality and loyal staff" who are intent on delivering Homefront: The Revolution. The game is currently scheduled for release on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC in 2015. You can read more about it in our preview from E3.