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Hi-Rez makes layoffs amid restructure

Hi-Rez makes layoffs amid restructure

Smite maker Hi-Rez has cut some jobs as part of a restructuring effort at the company.

As reported by GamesIndustry.biz, "a little less" than 30 members of staff have lost their position. The spokesperson said that this is mostly impacting Hi-Rez's publishing and "back office roles".

The restructuring effort – announced on LinkedIn – will see Hi-Rez Studios rebrand as Hi-Rez Ventures, with Hi-Rez Studios being split into three "business units".

The first, Titan Forge Games, is set to focus on the Smite franchise, while Evil Mojo Games is going to be primarily working on the Paladins IP. This division will also be maintaining Realm Royale and Rogue Company.

Finally, the RallyHere Interactive studio is going to be providing software-as-a-service for developers building cross-platform service-based games.

Hi-Rez Studios founder and chair Erez Goren is going to becoming CEO of Hi-Rez Ventures. Former Hi-Rez Studios CEO Stewart Chisam is taking on the role of president for Hi-Rez Ventures, as well as CEO of RallyHere.

"We believe these changes allow us to best support our live game franchises, better empowering the game developers inside Titan Forge and Evil Mojo to control their own destinies and provide the best experiences possible for their gamer communities," Chisam wrote.

"It will also provide RallyHere Interactive with the resources and management attention it needs to grow and accomplish its mission.

"I’m very grateful to our remarkable staff and our incredible gamer communities. Congratulations to Tony, Alex, Travis and others being asked to step up through this transition. And a huge dose of gratitude to our amazing staff."


PCGamesInsider Contributing Editor

Alex Calvin is a freelance journalist who writes about the business of games. He started out at UK trade paper MCV in 2013 and left as deputy editor over three years later. In June 2017, he joined Steel Media as the editor for new site PCGamesInsider.biz. In October 2019 he left this full-time position at the company but still contributes to the site on a daily basis. He has also written for GamesIndustry.biz, VGC, Games London, The Observer/Guardian and Esquire UK.