Cold Iron Studios, the developer of Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2, has reduced its staff following the game’s release, with at least 19 employees reportedly affected. Insider Gaming reported that the layoffs came after parent company Enad Global 7 announced a planned staffing reduction at the studio. The company says Cold Iron will continue supporting the game and developing its Nintendo Switch 2 version.
Enad Global 7 announced the staffing reduction on September 25, saying its wholly owned subsidiary Daybreak Game Company would reduce staffing levels at Cold Iron after the release of Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2. The publisher said the move was part of an original plan to reduce the studio’s operating cost base and establish a sustainable operation going forward. It did not disclose the number of positions eliminated.
Insider Gaming subsequently reported that at least 19 people had been let go, citing its understanding of the cuts and public records indicating that Cold Iron had employed roughly 50 to 70 people before the layoffs. That figure has not been independently confirmed by Enad Global 7 or Cold Iron Studios, so the reported total should be treated as an estimate rather than an official headcount. Cold Iron has separately acknowledged that it reduced staffing and adjusted team responsibilities around its ongoing development and support needs.
The layoffs come only weeks after Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 launched on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Enad Global 7 said the studio will continue to operate as part of Daybreak Game Company rather than being shut down or absorbed into another development team. The company also said Cold Iron remains focused on continued development and support for the co-op shooter.
Cold Iron’s post-launch plans include a Nintendo Switch 2 version, which is now scheduled for early 2027. The studio has also said it is concentrating on near-term quality improvements and plans to publish a roadmap for the game in the coming weeks. That means the staff reduction does not currently signal an end to development, although the size of the remaining team and how responsibilities have been redistributed have not been publicly detailed.
The cuts are part of a broader pattern of restructuring and workforce reductions across the games industry, including recent reductions at larger publishers and development groups. [[LINK|[https://www.techtroduce.com/xbox-layoffs-halo-gears-call-of-duty-studios/|Xbox layoffs affecting Halo, Gears and Call of Duty studios]] also illustrate how staffing changes have continued across established game development operations, although Cold Iron’s situation is tied specifically to the post-launch cost structure of Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2.
For players, the immediate question is how the smaller team will affect the sequel’s planned support. Enad Global 7 has explicitly said that Cold Iron will continue development and support, while the Switch 2 release remains planned for early 2027. Until the studio publishes its roadmap and provides more detail about its post-launch staffing and priorities, the longer-term impact of the layoffs remains unclear.
