Less than a month after the May 21 launch of the cosmic horror shooter Luna Abyss, its entire development team has been laid off. Kwalee Labs CEO Hollie Emery announced on LinkedIn that the nine-person team was made redundant as of June 16. Emery stated the decision was "completely outside of our control" and did not provide further specifics regarding the reason for the layoffs.
The small team of developers expressed pride in their work, with Emery writing that the development of Luna Abyss had been a career highlight despite facing challenges. The team is now seeking new employment.
Luna Abyss is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. The game puts players in the role of a prisoner exploring a derelict megastructure on a moon named Luna. Gameplay involves first-person shooter combat against cosmic horrors, incorporating bullet hell elements, and emphasizes player traversal and mobility. The game has received a generally positive reception, holding an 81 critic score on Metacritic. Game Informer editor-in-chief Matt Miller noted that while Luna Abyss shares some similarities with the recently released Saros, including cosmic horror themes and bullet hell mechanics, it offers enough unique qualities to warrant a playthrough.