Cyan Worlds Announces Another Round of Layoffs Amid Ongoing Financial Struggles

image: Cyan Worlds, Myst

Cyan Worlds has initiated a second round of layoffs in 2025, continuing a difficult year for the veteran indie studio behind Myst, Obduction, Firmament, and Riven.

The announcement came over the weekend via a post on Bluesky, where Cyan confirmed more employees were being let go. While the exact number of affected staff remains unconfirmed, a publicly shared Google document now lists 15 names — three more than the 12 included in the March layoffs. However, since listing on the document is voluntary, the actual number could be higher.

This latest wave follows the earlier March layoffs that reportedly impacted “roughly half” of the studio’s workforce. At the time, Cyan cited harsh industry conditions and financial pressures. In a statement posted on Bluesky during the first layoff round, the studio wrote, “Industry conditions have forced us into a tricky spot where we are having to weigh the future health of our studio against the month-to-month realities of game development in 2025.”

That sentiment seems to hold true months later. Despite efforts to stabilize, including hopes of securing funding for their next project, the studio now faces another round of reductions — a clear sign that those efforts haven’t borne fruit yet.

The timing of the layoffs is especially poignant, coming just two days after the anniversary of Cyan’s 3D remake of Riven, originally released in 1997.

Founded in 1987 by brothers Rand and Robyn Miller, Cyan Worlds has been a cornerstone of the PC gaming world for nearly four decades. Their seminal title Myst, released in 1993, became a cultural phenomenon, aligning perfectly with the rise of personal computing in U.S. households. Over the years, the studio expanded the Myst universe with sequels, novels, and spin-offs like Uru and Firmament.

As of now, Cyan has not shared what’s next for the studio, nor has it provided further comment on the layoffs beyond the Bluesky post. It's unclear if a new project is actively in development or if the team is still in the process of securing funding.