Lilith Games Makes Swift Workforce Cuts Amidst Upcoming Changes at Venture Celebration

Chinese firm Lilith Games has dismissed 40 developers who were working on its forthcoming life simulation game, ‘Project Party.’

As per translations from GameLook, the layoffs occurred in mid-November. Among those affected was the game’s producer. The publication highlights that the layoffs followed an underwhelming response to Project Party’s beta during the summer.

PocketGamer also reports that the game has not been shelved, but the remaining 60-member team will concentrate on additional gameplay modifications.

Lilith Games’ mobile legacy

Lilith Games is primarily recognized for its mobile titles such as Dislyte, Farlight 84, and AFK Arena. GameLook mentions that this round of layoffs is the latest for the studio: in both 2022 and 2023, it reduced staff involved with previous projects ‘Breach’ and ‘Apocalypse of Eden.’

Lilith is among the latest studios to encounter challenges in creating a new life simulation game. In June, Paradox Interactive canceled its own project in the genre, Life by You, and shut down its team Tectonic Games after determining the game would not align with their standards.

“A version that we could be satisfied with is too distant, and thus we are making the tough choice to cancel the release,” stated Paradox CEO Fredrik Wester in June. “Going forward, we need to perform at a much higher level, and it’s clear that we have work ahead of us.”

Life by You’s cancellation was preceded by a rocky launch for Paradox’s other simulation title, Cities: Skylines II. Both Paradox and the developer Mighty Entertainment have acknowledged the game’s issues over the year, and the publisher later admitted it had become a victim of its own success.

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