Tencent-owned Lightspeed LA just axed roughly 80 roles at its Irvine studio, the latest chapter in a troubled six-year slog on Last Sentinel. The official line blames a shift in creative direction after internal playtests failed to meet expectations, with the studio promising compassion, internal transfers where possible, and continued investment in North America. Bloomberg reporting from Jason Schreier paints a harsher picture: the ambitious open-world cyberpunk title set in dystopian Tokyo, once positioned as a potential GTA rival with a budget in the hundreds of millions, received overwhelmingly negative internal feedback, missed deadlines, and saw leadership struggles under founder Steve Martin.

The cuts appear to hit more than half the reported 130-person Irvine team, following the 2023 Game Awards reveal trailer, a 2024 mocap studio investment, and Troy Baker's hiring as performance director. Lightspeed insists the project lives on and updates will come when ready, but multiple outlets note the move reads like a soft cancellation or major reboot rather than a minor pivot. X chatter from industry watchers and leaks accounts highlights the pattern—another high-budget Tencent bet burning cash without clear vision or viable product.

This isn't isolated. It underscores how even deep-pocketed publishers are slashing when playtests expose gaps, leaving talent to absorb the fallout while execs pivot messaging.