Techland Shuts Down Two Secret Games—But Says No One’s Getting Fired

Techland, the Polish studio behind the beloved Dying Light franchise, has unceremoniously cancelled not one but two in-development games. But before you spiral into despair or plan a digital protest, here’s the twist: no layoffs are involved.

With the gaming industry currently riding a rollercoaster of mass cutbacks and surprise cancellations, anytime we hear the word “cancellation,” red flags go up. But Techland, now under Tencent’s umbrella after an acquisition in 2023, insists this move is purely strategic—it’s not about bleeding staff but sharpening focus.

Not another “live service flop”—Techland smells the market shift

According to reports from Eurogamer, execs at Techland are doubling down on the Dying Light universe, especially Dying Light 2: Stay Human, which continues to receive major DLCs and co-op updates. While we don’t know the names of the axed titles, industry whispers suggest at least one may have been a multiplayer action RPG with a PvE/PvP hybrid, while the other was rumoured to be a smaller experimental FPS project aimed at PC and next-gen consoles.

Realistically, pulling the plug on undercooked concepts might be the smartest thing Techland could do right now. With the market teetering due to oversaturation (thanks, generic battle royale titles), even big names are getting burned. Just ask Ubisoft about Hyperscape. If Techland’s cancelling games before they become expensive regrets, that’s a win for everyone involved.

Dying Light ain’t dead—and more’s coming

The real headline here is Dying Light: The Beast, Techland’s next expansion for Dying Light 2, is still very much alive. Teased earlier this year, it’s being built with community feedback in mind and is expected to push the boundaries of open-world zombie chaos. With fans hungry for unpredictable FPS co-op gameplay, this update might give Left 4 Dead fans something new to obsess over.

Given how Dying Light 2 has gradually evolved post-launch, with parkour upgrades, weapon balancing, and custom multiplayer modes, it’s clear Techland now wants to channel its energy where it counts—where its community already thrives.

So… what exact games got cut?

Techland’s being cagey. The studio chose not to name either of the projects. A statement from the company vaguely labelled them as games that “no longer align with our updated vision.” That screams, “We tried something, it wasn’t vibing.” Fair. Better to reboot in pre-dev than shove out something broken.

There have been rumours since mid-2022 that Techland was prototyping an open-world fantasy RPG—a stark departure from undead slaughter. Some speculative fans believe this fantasy project didn’t make it past planning, or if it did, was simply too big a leap for a studio focused on hyper-fluid first-person movement and survival horror elements.

The hiring spree continues—Techland’s still growing

Despite the double axing, Techland very clearly stated that no staff reductions are planned. In fact, they’re hiring. You read that right. On LinkedIn and their career page, the studio has listings open for roles from gameplay designers to network engineers. That smells like a studio repositioning, not downsizing. No red flags here—just some shuffling of cards.

Given that Tencent now owns a controlling interest, the studio likely has a financial backup to take its time. Rather than pushing risky projects or overextending, Techland might just be realigning with reality, and honestly, that’s refreshing. For a team that nailed parkour mechanics in a zombie-infested sandbox, taking a realistic, agile approach to game development only adds to their credibility.

What this means for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC players

If you’re a fan of tightly designed PS5 co-op games or a sucker for intense multiplayer competitive shooters, Techland staying focused on Dying Light 2 is good news. Expect more balance updates, better netcode, and maybe even cross-save or cross-play features soon. Meanwhile, PC gamers looking for that upcoming fantasy RPG fix? You’ll likely have to wait a bit longer or look elsewhere—ahem, CD Projekt Red.

For Techland, this is a strategic play: Focus on the breadwinner, polish it to perfection, and maybe (just maybe) tease a third Dying Light game once the time and tech align. Who needs half-baked experiments when you’ve got a zombie parkour empire to build on?

So, while two unannounced games just slipped into the void, you won’t find Techland mourning. They’re busy fine-tuning what fans already love, and honestly, that’s probably the best play they could’ve made in today’s busted, unpredictable gaming scene.