System Era lays off over 30 staff after STARSEEKER underperforms
Marketing director Joe Tirado said the cuts stem from the early-access spin-off's performance; the studio still aims for a 1.0 release.
System Era Softworks announced on October 23 that it has laid off more than 30 staff members. The affected employees included artists, designers, engineers, producers, writers and QA, and the studio said they will receive severance and support.
Marketing director Joe Tirado said the layoffs stem from the underperformance of STARSEEKER: Astroneer Expeditions. On Steam, the early-access title currently shows a user review rating of 55% positive across 821 reviews, displayed as Mixed.
The studio said it will shrink to a size sustainable for its user base and still intends to reach a 1.0 release rather than cancel development. It added that it cannot yet share a roadmap but will provide more details soon, and that internal discussions about 2027 have begun.
System Era Softworks was founded in Seattle in 2014 by veterans of companies including EA, Valve and Ubisoft, and publisher Devolver Digital acquired the studio in 2023. STARSEEKER: Astroneer Expeditions entered early access in June 2026.
Quick answers
Why did System Era Softworks lay off staff?
Marketing director Joe Tirado said the layoffs stem from the underperformance of STARSEEKER: Astroneer Expeditions.
Is STARSEEKER: Astroneer Expeditions cancelled?
No. The studio said it still aims to reach a 1.0 release rather than cancel development.
How is STARSEEKER: Astroneer Expeditions reviewed on Steam?
It has a user review rating of 55% positive across 821 reviews, shown as Mixed.