007 developer officially confirms layoffs in wake of Xbox cuts

Project Fantasy lives on as IO Interactive to close Istanbul studio 007: First Light and Hitman developer IO Interactive has confirmed that it will be laying off staff, as well as closing its Istanbul studio, in the wake of Xbox withdrawing funding for IOI's in-development online role-playing game, Project Fantasy. But the developer said it has regained full ownership of the project and will continue to build and fund it independently. In a statement posted to X, IOI said it had to "find a new balance for the long-term future of the studio, focused on the success of our main internal core titles," and that this meant "the closure of our Istanbul studio and starting a process to part ways with colleagues who have been a meaningful part of what makes IOI what it is." "Our immediate focus is on supporting those affected as best we can through this period," IOI said, and asked for help finding laid-off staff new jobs. "These are hard, but necessary decisions, in order to retain the long-term future of IO Interactive as one of the very few fully independent AAA developer and publisher, as well as to give Project Fantasy the best possible foundation to succeed under our own passion and d