Funcom is laying off staff as it narrows its focus to two games. The Norwegian developer said it is beginning a restructuring to concentrate solely on Dune: Awakening and Conan Exiles, and that longtime CEO Rui Casais will leave the company at the end of the year, as reported by GamesIndustry.biz.
Funcom did not say how many people will lose their jobs. “As Funcom aligns its organization with this new focus, the company will also enter a period of restructuring,” the company said in a press release. “This will mean reducing the size of the organization and, sadly, saying goodbye to valued colleagues.” It added that “out of respect for the employees involved, Funcom will not share further details until it has concluded.”
From production to live service
Casais framed the cuts as the result of Dune: Awakening moving out of full development. “Dune: Awakening has been the biggest project we have ever undertaken, requiring many years of significant development resources across our studios,” he said. “Moving from full production into long-term post-launch development and operations requires a different organization.”
The company says it “remains committed to supporting, expanding, and growing these games and their communities for years to come.” Conan Exiles recently received an Enhanced edition, which Funcom plans to keep building on, and Dune: Awakening reached PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S last month with a single-player option, as RCG covered in Dune: Awakening Out Now on PS5 and Xbox Series.
A new CEO
Casais has been with Funcom for 22 years, starting as a junior programmer, and has led the company for 11, including through its 2020 acquisition by Tencent. He will be succeeded by chief product officer Scott Junior, a 25-year Funcom veteran who most recently served as executive producer on Dune: Awakening.
“My focus going forward will be ensuring Funcom is organized in the best way possible to expand these games for many years to come through new content and gameplay, while fostering a close relationship with our dedicated communities,” Junior said.
This is not Funcom’s first round of cuts since Dune launched. The studio laid off staff in October 2025, following the game’s PC launch, and closed The Outsiders, the Swedish developer behind Metal: Hellsinger, as part of that process.
