Crytek, makers of the legendary, PC-crippling Crysis and The Hunt: Showdown 1896, has seemingly conducted another round of layoffs—making this the second in as many years, following layoffs in February 2025—per reporting by Insider Gaming. The layoffs have not yet been officially announced, but insiders told the publication that the September 2026 layoffs have affected teams in both Istanbul, Türkiye, and Frankfurt, Germany.

According to the reports, a whole quality assurance team, was laid off at the company's Istanbul office, and the layoffs in Germany primarily affected the social media, QA, and publishing teams. The layoffs were described as unexpected, and it is currently thought that at least 30 people have lost their jobs. At the time of writing, the studio's page still lists the "4th installment in the Crysis franchise" as a project in active development, even though that was reportedly put on hold in 2024, as announced by Crytek during the February 2025 layoff press release.

New Cycle is a dieselpunk-inspired city-builder with an emphasis on survival. It will launch into Early Access on Steam on January 18th, 2024! You are the leader of a small group of settlers seeking refuge after a catastrophic solar flare desolated the Earth. You start with only a basic settlement, a few hungry workers, and many unfulfilled needs. Over time, as your population grows, new challenges for your colony will emerge—fluctuations in morale, disease outbreaks, power losses, and resource demands will all test your capabilities as a leader. Nothing is ever certain, but each new day is another opportunity to rebuild what was lost and return humanity's dominion over the earth.

Looking into the bright dawn of Early Access in January, Turkish developers Core Engage and Daedalic Entertainment are excited to inject fresh energy into the survival city-building genre by elevating tried and true hallmarks both narratively and mechanically. With the unique crisis component around the sun and climate changes reminiscent of today's ecological concerns, New Cycle honors the existing elements while entertaining innovation in light of the new world and circumstances. Early Access will feature two different gameplay modes (campaign and sandbox), three different biomes, 54 buildings, 47 producible resources, three classes of society, eight different stages of development, and an inventory of 3D assets divided into three main eras and art style approaches.

We are excited to announce the opening of our fourth IOI studio in Istanbul, Türkiye. Uniquely positioned in the pan-continental gateway to Europe and Asia, IOI Istanbul is a crucial part in the continued growth and success of IO Interactive.

With a thriving tech and mobile development scene, we identified Istanbul as a region filled with talent that is furiously passionate, development-focused and technically creative. Istanbul is also a city rich in history, offering a strong cultural presence, historic architecture, astonishing Bosphorus views and vibrant and varied culture.