Axie Infinity developer cuts 21% workforce: report

Axie Infinity maker Sky Mavis is shedding 50 staff as a part of broader efforts to adapt post-hack and market shifts.

Sky Mavis, the developer of blockchain-based sport Axie Infinity, mentioned it would lay off 21% of its employees – or about 50 staff – as a part of efforts to streamline operations and deal with core merchandise, TechInAsia has learned.

Firm co-founder Nguyen Thanh Trung emphasised in an X post that the choice was not pushed by monetary strain, reassuring that the choice is a “strategic transfer that allows a sharper focus and positions Sky Mavis for hypergrowth in 2025 and past.”

“The choice to half methods with gifted workforce members was not taken evenly and doesn’t mirror their contributions to Sky Mavis. […] To raised deal with these merchandise and have the flexibleness wanted to open Ronin within the first quarter, we’ve got made the tough choice to let go of 21% of our workforce.

Nguyen Thanh Trung

Trung additionally shared that Sky Mavis wouldn’t be getting in any new instructions, stating, “as an alternative of attempting to construct merchandise for all customers, we’re doubling down on what makes Sky Mavis really distinctive.” In consequence, the sport developer will deal with the Ronin Pockets and increasing the Ronin Community “for extra builders.” Following the information, the worth of the Axie Infinity (AXS) token fell by 3.78%.

Based in 2018, Sky Mavis operates a play-to-earn mannequin the place gamers buy monsters and earn non-fungible tokens and in-game foreign money. In 2022, North Korea-affiliated hackers launched a multi-level social engineering assault on the corporate, resulting in a lack of $600 million. In response, Sky Mavis switched to a free-to-play mannequin.