Pokémon GO developer Niantic is laying off about a quarter of its workforce

Pokémon GO developer Niantic will lay off around 230 employees. The head of the company says that sales growth during the corona period has shrunk again and that costs are now too high. New games and other projects have not been able to cushion that blow.

In addition to the layoffs close Niantic also the doors of his Los Angeles office; it is left with two offices. This also means that the mobile game NBA All World will stop working and will no longer receive updates. Furthermore, the upcoming Marvel: World of Heroes will no longer be released; that was planned for this year.

Niantic CEO John Hanke explains that the mobile gaming market is “very mature” and “only the best and most unique titles have a chance to succeed.” He also shifts some of the blame to the ‘macroeconomic deteriorations’. He also observes that the augmented reality market is “developing more slowly than expected.” Yet he also takes responsibility for his own actions by stating that Niantic ‘bears responsibility for its own performance’.

After the reorganization, Niantic is focusing on keeping its other existing games alive. Pokémon GO must ‘stay healthy’, because it suggests that the game is now also healthy. In addition, the focus is on making Pikmin Bloom, Peridot and the upcoming Monster Hunter Now successful. Hanke expresses confidence in this.

This round of dismissals is the second in a relatively short period of time. Last year, Niantic laid off 85 to 90 employees and also canceled four projects. Even then, the ‘time of economic unrest’ was given as a motivation.

Niantic’s greatest achievement is Pokémon GO, a still popular mobile augmented reality game that was popular with a much wider audience at the time of its release.

Marvel World of Heroes will no longer see the light of day.