Star Wars Eclipse at Risk of Cancellation Amid Quantic Dream Layoffs
The development of Star Wars: Eclipse is reportedly in jeopardy due to a strike at developer Quantic Dream over planned layoffs. According to reports from Gamekult and VGC, employees represented by the French video game union STJV (Syndicat des Travailleurs et Travailleuses du Jeu Vidéo) have established a picket line at the studio's Paris headquarters to protest an "internal reorganisation" that puts approximately 115 jobs at risk.
The industrial action was called following Quantic Dream's closure of its multiplayer game Spellcasters Chronicles earlier this month. While the studio confirmed a reorganization, developers on strike assert that the planned cuts directly threaten the future of its high-profile project, Star Wars: Eclipse.
Official Star Wars: Eclipse game screenshot.
Striking developers told Gamekult that the 115 employees are essential to the game's completion. "We believe that, as things stand, the game literally cannot be finished if the redundancy plan is implemented as currently scheduled," one developer said under the pseudonym Théo. They emphasized that the team "absolutely need the 115 people who have been inactive (or almost) for a month already," framing the protest as an attempt to save the project.
The union-led strike highlights significant tension within the studio as it works on the ambitious title, which was first announced in 2021 and is set during the Star Wars High Republic era. The situation casts serious doubt on the game's production timeline and viability if the staff reductions proceed.
Developers Warn Game Cannot Be Finished Without Staff Reinstatement
Developers at Quantic Dream have issued a stark internal warning that Star Wars: Eclipse "literally cannot be finished" if the studio proceeds with its plan to lay off 115 staff members. The grave assessment was delivered by employees speaking under the pseudonyms Jules and Théo to Gamekult, as reported by VGC and other outlets, amid a union-led strike at the studio's Paris headquarters.
According to the developers, the team is already critically understaffed. Théo stated that the project "absolutely need[s] the 115 people who have been inactive (or almost) for a month already," equating this period to a "whole month of lost production." He emphasized that during this stalled month, those employees could have been undergoing essential training on the "specific tools of Star Wars: Eclipse," a delay that now compounds the production hurdle.
Developers have raised concerns about finishing Star Wars: Eclipse.
The developers directly contested management's stance, arguing the layoffs would be catastrophic. "We believe that, as things stand, the game literally cannot be finished if the redundancy plan is implemented as currently scheduled," Théo said. Jules clarified that the strike action was not sabotage, telling press, "On the contrary, we're trying to save Star Wars: Eclipse," and that the 115 individuals represent necessary staffing, not overstaffing.
Further concerns were raised about unsustainable working conditions emerging from the crisis. Reports indicate that Quantic Dream began mandating overtime on Star Wars: Eclipse shortly after the layoff plan was announced, a move developers criticize as part of an industry model that relies on employee "passion" to fuel crunch. The striking staff aim to alert management to the immediate need for the skilled developers, whose absence now threatens the viability of the High Republic-era project announced in 2021.
Internal Reorganization Follows Spellcasters Chronicles Closure
The current staffing crisis at Quantic Dream stems directly from the recent closure of its multiplayer title, Spellcasters Chronicles, and a subsequent internal reorganization. According to reports from VGC and Gamekult, the studio shuttered the free-to-play game Spellcasters Chronicles earlier this month, shortly after its early access launch in February. Following this closure, Quantic Dream confirmed it had initiated an "internal reorganisation," which unions state puts approximately 115 jobs at risk.
This reorganization places intense pressure on the studio's flagship project, Star Wars: Eclipse, which was first revealed at The Game Awards in 2021. The game, set during the Star Wars franchise's High Republic era, has seen little official information released since its announcement and has no confirmed release date. The 115 employees now facing redundancy were reportedly working on Spellcasters Chronicles, and developers argue their reassignment is critical for Eclipse.
Star Wars: Eclipse development asset.
Striking developers told GameKult that the lost month of productivity, during which these 115 staff have been "inactive (or almost)," represents a severe blow to Eclipse's development timeline. They emphasized this period could have been used to train team members on the "specific tools" required for the ambitious High Republic-era project. The internal restructuring, therefore, is not seen as a separate business move but as the direct catalyst for the current production standstill threatening the game's completion.
Lucasfilm Games Visit Coincides With Studio Picket Line
The labor action at Quantic Dream’s Paris studio was strategically timed to coincide with a scheduled progress review by Lucasfilm Games, the Star Wars IP holder. According to reports from GameKult and VGC, a delegation from Lucasfilm Games was visiting the studio to assess the development of Star Wars: Eclipse on the same day developers formed a picket line.
Developers stated the coincidence was intentional, aiming to highlight the staffing crisis directly to the project’s publisher. “We also wanted to strongly alert management… on the day of an official visit,” one developer told GameKult, as reported by VGC. The presence of Lucasfilm representatives provided a stark visual demonstration of the disruption, with eager staff protesting instead of working.
Official Star Wars: Eclipse screenshot.
This direct appeal to Lucasfilm Games underscores the severity of the developers’ warnings regarding the project's viability. By staging the strike during the visit, the union and staff escalated the internal dispute, placing the external stakeholder at the center of the conflict over resources and project timelines. The move signals that the future of Star Wars: Eclipse now involves not just Quantic Dream’s management but also the oversight of the IP owner.