"This was not an easy or quick decision to make, but by making difficult decisions early we protect FuturLab in the future." That's FuturLab CEO Kirsty Rigden, confirming that the studio behind PowerWash Simulator 2 has laid off seven employees and scrapped an unannounced project that had been quietly in development for two to three years.
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A project that never got to launch
The canceled game was entirely separate from the PowerWash Simulator series, described by Rigden as a "new non-PowerWash related project" that was still in pre-production. The math simply didn't work out. Rigden stated it "would have cost us more than it was projected to make" and that continuing "wouldn't have been a sensible decision."
The project had reportedly been in development since around 2023 or 2024. That's a significant chunk of time and resources for a studio of FuturLab's size to absorb as a write-off. The seven people let go were specifically tied to that canceled project, with their roles not needed for ongoing work on PowerWash Simulator 2.
How the layoffs were handled, and why it matters
Here's the thing: the business decision to cancel a project that doesn't pencil out is defensible. Studios make those calls. What's harder to defend is how the process apparently unfolded internally.
Staff working on the canceled project were left without any new work for weeks after the cancellation was announced in late June 2026. Then, in late July 2026, seven employees were quietly removed, with managers and team leads not informed that their direct reports would stop showing up or why. Those affected simply stopped coming to work, with no explanation given to colleagues.
At a company-wide meeting in early August 2026, FuturLab COO Chris Mehers addressed the situation, framing it as a restructuring. Staff were then reportedly told not to use the word "redundancy" when discussing what had happened, and the people who had been let go were to be referred to as "the leavers."
When asked directly to confirm the redundancies, FuturLab said it was "unable to divulge any further details about a confidential and legally binding process." UK employment law does limit what companies can say publicly, but the combination of silence toward remaining staff, language policing, and a carefully managed public statement paints a picture of a studio that wanted this to pass without much scrutiny.
Rigden did express genuine regret in her statement: "These are people who are super talented and many of whom have been with us a long time, and I really really appreciate them." That sentiment reads as sincere. The execution around it is a different story.
What this means for PowerWash Simulator 2
For players, the immediate concern is whether this affects the game they're already invested in. The short answer is: not directly. FuturLab has been clear that PowerWash Simulator 2 remains the studio's focus, with the team continuing to ship updates and DLC content on its existing roadmap.
The longer-term picture is less certain. FuturLab is now a smaller studio with one active game and a stated goal of "prototyping new ideas for future games." That's a reasonable place to land after a painful restructure, but it's also a more cautious position than a studio actively developing something new alongside its flagship title.
If you're playing PowerWash Simulator 2 and want to get the most out of it while the team keeps building, check out the resource gathering guide for tips on maximizing your progress, or the base building guide if you want to sharpen your setup. For a broader look at what's worth playing right now, the gaming guides hub has you covered across genres.
