UK indies Tuna cut to two staff

Independent studio Tuna Technologies has cut its studio workforce down to just two staff and will move out of its current office to a smaller base.

The Sheffield-based developer opened back in 1996, and said it has since completed over 70 commercial projects – a testament to the sustainability of the ‘boutique’ game studio.

Tuna’s ties with industry associations are numerous; the outfit was a founding member of Screen Yorkshire, has made games for Channel 4’s Education division, and had frequently had its staff speaking at various trade shows.

New troubles, suggested to be due to negotiations with a publisher, were cited as cause for the cuts.

“We’ve had some wonderful colleagues over the years but for everyone it has been stressful in recent times,” said CEO Alex Amsel.

“In the end, however, my belief is that highly creative indie games such as Cletus Clay need everyone equally vested in it. That’s a topic for a future post perhaps, but it has contributed to our new form.”

Amsel, airing his views in a statement posted on the Tuna website, said the studio will collaborate with designers and artists hereon.

“We have a lot of hard work ahead of us but I know that all our projects are different; they will all stand out from the crowd in some way,” he said.

“What’s more, they are fun to work on and have no publisher to screw things up.”