Sekai Project Announces Staff Layoffs And Current Projects’ Statuses

At around 3pm CT on August 13, 2018, Sekai Project staff members reported firings at the company. Among the people reporting they were fired were Brand Manager Frances Delgado and Product Manager Josh Kaplan. Following these tweets, Sekai Project issued an official statement on its website and the Tokyo Chronos Kickstarter page going over the layoffs and explaining how they would impact the company. (Thanks, Resetera!)

In the statement on the website, Sekai Project CEO Christopher Ling said that these layoffs mostly took place among the marketing staff and claims staff members working on editing, programming, translating, and taking care of quality control with projects were untouched. However, it did state that restructuring is still in effect.

Here is the list of current Sekai Project games and projects in progress.

• We just submitted all the necessary paperwork for the EU release of Root Double: Before Crime * After Days and once we get approval from SIE, it can then be scheduled for release.
• Project LUX has just been submitted for FQA to Sony. Once that’s been cleared we can begin the process of getting it ready for release on Playstation VR
• Console port for fault – milestone one is in progress with a technology demo showcased here
• Fatal Twelve fulfillment is still scheduled to proceed at the end of the month. Please remember to update your shipping addresses if you are expecting physical rewards.
• Designs for A Light in the Dark goods have been finalized and will be printed at the end of the month.
• Translation check and re-editing of Hoshizora Memoria is in progress
• Canvas Garden, Love’s Sweet Garnish, is almost done with QA and will be ready for release this month, pending Valve approval.
• E.N.Nach’s CyberRebeat -The Fifth Domain of Warfare-, is almost done with QA and will be ready for release this month.
• Regarding Gate Vol. 2, this addressed previously here
• My Girlfriend is a Mermaid!? translation is still in progress. Developer updates will be posted to the Kickstarter campaign as they come
• Tokyo Chronos development is still in progress. Translation will begin once the campaign concludes
• Engine porting for A Clockwork Ley-Line is in progress but more difficult than expected due to an older version of the engine being ported to a newer one.
• Rewrite is currently 35% translated and still in progress.

In the Tokyo Chronos Kickstarter update, Ling issued a separate statement regarding the Sekai Project layoffs. Supposedly, staff at the company working on this project were not hit by layoffs. Ling noted that MyDearest, the VR game’s developer, is not impacted by the company’s recent actions. Also, Tokyo Otaku Mode would be handling product fulfillment and Limited Run Games would be working on the PlayStation 4 physical copies.

Currently, Tokyo Chronos is seeking $75,000 on Kickstarter. It had passed $57,000 as of 6pm CT on August 13, 2018. It must hit its goal by August 20, 2018 to be fully funded. If it gets the money from backers, it will allegedly come to the PlayStation VR on the PlayStation 4 and the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive for PCs in February 2019.