In a recent update from gaming news outlet Kotaku, it has been revealed that Dead by Daylight developer Behaviour Interactive has reportedly laid off 45 employees. The layoffs, which began in December 2023, were apparently limited to Behaviour's Montreal studio and affected staff across multiple departments.

While Game Developer reached out to Behaviour for comment, no response has been received as of yet. The reason behind these layoffs remains unclear, as the studio has not provided an official statement regarding the matter.

Behaviour Interactive, known for its popular horror game Dead by Daylight, is currently gearing up to release a new chapter that will introduce Alan Wake as a playable character. Additionally, the studio launched a new franchise titled Meet Your Maker in April last year.

It is worth noting that Behaviour Interactive experienced significant expansion in 2023, which included the acquisition of UK-based SockMonkey and Dutch outfit Codeglue. Furthermore, the studio opened a new studio in Cornwall called Behaviour UK - South, in an effort to strengthen its presence in the UK and expand strategically into Europe.

Update: Behaviour has confirmed the recent layoffs, citing "changing market conditions" as the reason behind the workforce reduction. In an email statement to Game Developer, a spokesperson from the company explained that these cuts impacted less than 3 percent of their total workforce. However, the statement did not clarify whether the layoffs were restricted to its Montreal studio or spread across other locations as well.

"Recently, changing market conditions necessitated adjusting the scope of several Behaviour projects. In these situations, our preference is always to reassign talent to other projects. Unfortunately, this option is not always available to us," the spokesperson stated. "These departures represented less than 3 percent of our total workforce."

The news of these layoffs comes as a blow to the affected employees and the gaming industry as a whole. Many will be awaiting a more detailed explanation from Behaviour Interactive regarding their plans moving forward and how these workforce reductions will impact their upcoming projects and the overall company.