Recent mass layoffs at developer Eidos Montreal were the result of a long-in-development project at the studio that was close to completion being canceled, according to a new report.
As reported by Insider Gaming, the project, known as P11, had been struggling for years due to changing between multiple game engines and an ever-ballooning budget. The game was reportedly an open-world, third-person action-adventure title where players would battle magical spirits. The main character, River, had a giant-moose companion that could be used to navigate the game’s open world.
P11 reportedly had cost several hundred million dollars since work on it began in 2019. The cancellation is somewhat surprising, as according to the report, the project was almost complete and tentatively slated for release later this year, having recently passed key development milestones.
The game was said to look similar to the survival game Wild, a PlayStation exclusive from developer Wild Sheep Studio that was first announced in 2014 and is believed to have been canceled.
Eidos-Montreal announced 124 people were losing their jobs on March 30. In addition, studio head David Anfossi, a 19-year veteran of the studio, announced his departure.
“Today is a difficult day for our studio and reflects the need to adapt and concentrate efforts where Eidos-Montreal can be most effective,” the studio said in a statement. “We are deeply grateful to the team members impacted; this decision is not a reflection of their talent, dedication, or performance.”
What’s next for the developer behind games like Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is unclear. The studio has suffered multiple waves of layoffs in recent memory, including in 2024 and 2025. A new Deus Ex game in development at the studio was reportedly canceled in 2024 following the studio’s acquisition by Embracer in 2022. More recently, the studio has assisted other studios with projects, including Obsidian’s Grounded 2 and Playground Games’ upcoming Fable reboot.