Negotiations over roughly 115 planned redundancies at Quantic Dream have stalled, prompting a French union group to call for another strike at the studio behind Star Wars Eclipse and Detroit: Become Human.
The proposed cuts followed the troubled launch of Spellcasters Chronicles, a multiplayer online battle arena game that was rushed onto Steam earlier in 2026. The closure comes as Quantic Dream’s owner, NetEase, reduces its involvement in large-budget game development.
The union is accusing Quantic Dream of offering inadequate compensation to affected employees. STJV wrote in a new blog post that NetEase remains financially capable of providing stronger redundancy packages, arguing that the company should accept greater responsibility for the job losses.
“If Quantic Dream wants to destroy jobs, it must pay,” the union said, while comparing the studio’s offer with compensation secured by workers at Don’t Nod.
Union compares Quantic Dream with Don’t Nod
Don’t Nod is also reportedly facing financial troubles after the release of the divisive science-fiction adventure Aphelion earlier this year. Tencent, described as the studio’s principal financial backer, has reportedly stopped providing further funding, leaving Don’t Nod in a difficult position for the remainder of 2026.
Despite Don’t Nod’s weaker financial backing, STJV claims its recently dismissed employees received better terms than the workers currently negotiating with Quantic Dream. The comparison has intensified criticism of NetEase’s approach to its remaining AAA investments.
NetEase and Tencent have both been retreating from major investments in big-budget games. That broader pullback has been linked to cancelled projects and studio closures across the industry, a trend worth following through RETROCADE’s arcade and gaming news.
Criticism aimed at Quantic Dream leadership
STJV has directed particular criticism at Quantic Dream chief executive Guillaume de Fondaumière and chief creative director David Cage. The union alleges that management has tried to restrict communication between employee representatives and staff during the redundancy discussions.
It also claims that company leaders have failed to acknowledge responsibility for the studio’s recent difficulties and have circulated misleading information internally. The union further objected to comments attributed to Cage that portrayed the departing workers as fortunate to have worked on the project.
For employees following the practical impact of studio closures, the dispute is another reminder that creative ambitions and corporate restructuring can affect the people building games long before a release reaches players. RETROCADE’s arcade machine buying guide covers a different side of the games industry, including the hardware choices that help keep interactive entertainment visible in homes and venues.
Quantic Dream says Star Wars Eclipse remains on track
Reports that the redundancies could delay Star Wars Eclipse have been rejected by Quantic Dream. The studio says development was not affected by the decision to close Spellcasters Chronicles, which it attributed to difficult market conditions in the multiplayer online battle arena sector.
The studio told IGN in June that Star Wars Eclipse was continuing according to plan, with a committed team and the resources required to complete development.
The game was first revealed almost five years ago. Its progress will now be watched alongside the ongoing negotiations and the union’s call for further industrial action. Readers interested in the physical side of gaming can also browse RETROCADE’s arcade machine collection.
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