Studio That Helped Work on Controversial Pokemon GO Avatars Hit With Layoffs

Seattle-based Pokemon GO support studio Very Very Spaceship was hit with layoffs, shortly after developing the controversial avatars for the game's Rediscover GO update. Although the Pokemon GO update aimed to improve features and visuals in the game, many players in the community were upset with the direction that was taken with the revamped avatars.

The lasting appeal of the Pokemon franchise means Pokemon GO is quite active in its eighth year of operations, with new events and Pokemon to discover on a regular basis. Pokemon GO developer Niantic is hard at work releasing new updates for Pokemon GO this year, which includes the Rediscover GO series of updates. The Rediscover GO campaign implemented new visual updates, improved avatar features, in-game map improvements, and much more to bring a fresh experience to returning players. However, fans were not happy with the appearance of the revamped Pokemon GO avatars following the update's release in April.

Reported by Game Developer, various Pokemon GO developers at Very Very Spaceship were laid off at the beginning of May, including employees that have been at the company for the past three-to-five years. The roles that were affected by the round of layoffs include producers, recruiters, and character artists. Some of the former employees, including game producer Matt Swanson and HR manager Sara Carmen, shared the news of their departure on LinkedIn. Senior 3D character artist Kelsey Martin was also laid off after spending four years at the company and helping lead development of the new Pokemon GO avatar system.

The exact number of employees affected by the layoffs at Very Very Spaceship and the exact cause of the layoffs are currently unknown. Currently, Very Very Spaceship supports the development of Pokemon GO by working on «tentpole features,» including the game's avatars. While assisting Niantic, the studio is also working on its own original game. Since the true extent of the layoffs is unclear, it's unknown