At this point in time, the gaming industry is no stranger to bad news. With the rise of layoffs and studio and game shutdowns becoming common practices, the gaming industry is now more volatile than it has ever been. And as nothing seems to change, it will continue to spiral until something eventually gives and fundamentally changes the gaming industry as we know it, but that is a discussion for another time. As Vermila Studio has laid off its entire workforce and now could face a studio shutdown, or, as the CEO of the company calls it, a “feasible possibility,” this all comes only six months after the studio’s launch of Crisol: Theater of Idols.

Pocos meses después del lanzamiento, Vermila Studios ha iniciado un ERE que finalmente ha supuesto la salida de todo el equipo. Aunque por ahora la empresa permanece con actividad.

Es una noticia muy dura para quienes hemos dedicado tanto esfuerzo y cariño a este proyecto. https://t.co/VI37Tc539P

— R ☾˖°. (@Rauwuu_) July 23, 2026

Back in February of this year, Vermila Studio launched Crisol: Theater of Idols, a survival horror game that Blumhouse Games published. Now, only five months later, the studio has laid off its staff due to financial reasons. And in a statement made by the CEO of the company to Game Developer, David Carrasco stated, “Unfortunately, due to financial reasons, we’ve had to dispense with the staff at Vermila Studios. We’re going to try to pull through for the time being without shutting down, but the circumstances are quite difficult and it its a feasible possibility in the upcoming months.” After this statement, it was reported that the studio had been shut down. Still, Raul Perina Alejandro, a game designer at the studio, later corrected the news and stated that the studio was still active for the time being, just that the entire staff is no more. “I have made a correction to the information in the thread about the ERE at Vermila Studios. Despite the collective dismissal of the entire workforce, the company has not closed. It remains active for the time being. I want to apologize for the incorrect information.”

It’s sad to see another studio close its doors and that its entire workforce has now lost their jobs only six months after the release of the title they worked on for 2 years. Situations like these are indicative of the current state of the gaming industry. As nothing changes, we will see more and more layoffs, studio closures, and overall fear of working in the gaming industry, as in a matter of moments you could lose your job no matter if the studio succeeds or not. But even so, Raul Perina Alejandro, a game designer at the studio, doesn’t want this to be the memory that remains, and I wish him and the staff luck on their future endeavors and hope they find jobs soon.

“Yet, I don’t want for this to be the memory that remains. Working [on] Crisol has been the first stage of my professional career, and a experience of which I feel very, very proud of. I’ve learned so much and I’ve had the luck to share these two years with amazing people,” Raul Perina Alejandro.