QA staff report layoffs at NetEase Games Montréal

NetEase appears to have shed several roles from its Montréal studio.

While not formally confirmed by the Chinese megacorp, Game Developer has collated several statements from former employees who, in the last week, have been made redundant. The layoffs appear to primarily affect QA staff.

“Last week I was impacted by the layoffs at NetEase and my time with them has come to an end,” wrote QA project manager Scott Killingsworth on LinkedIn. “It was a great experience and I’m thankful I was able to grow as I did. Now it’s time to look forward and continue that growth.”

“Unfortunately I have been affected by the recent lay-offs at NetEase Games Montréal and [am] back on the market for some new and exciting ventures,” added senior QA lead, Stefano Magnabosco.

Senior QA specialist Pavlina Rahneva added: “Unfortunately, I have been affected by another round of layoffs, and my time at NetEase Games has come to an end. It was an incredible opportunity and pleasure working with everyone on the team, and a very rewarding experience throughout which I learned a lot, grew professionally, and had the opportunity to collaborate with many talented folks!”

It follows several closures at the end of last year, including T-Minus Zero Entertainment, Bad Brain Game Studios, and Fantastic Pixel Castle. T-Minus Entertainment was later acquired by a “small group of veteran directors and founders” after it closed its doors in September.

Almost a thousand people have lost their jobs in the global games industry already in 2026.