Action shooter MOBA Gigantic delayed to 2016, studio hit with layoffs

Gigantic, the third-person action MOBA from developer Motiga, has been pushed to 2016, the studio announced today. The delay of the Xbox One and Windows PC game meant laying off some of Motiga's staff.

Motiga pointed to feedback from Gigantic's multiplayer testing as the reason for the game's delay. "We've received lots of valuable feedback throughout our testing phases," the studio said, "and as we reflect on the things we must accomplish to meet the expectations we have set for ourselves, it is clear that we need to move the launch window for Gigantic into 2016."

"As a pre-revenue startup, our resources are finite," Motiga explained on its official blog. "Stretching Gigantic development milestones over more time requires that we stretch those resources in the same fashion. As a result, today Motiga has had to lay off 16 employees at the studio. All impacted employees are receiving severances and job placement assistance."

Gigantic was originally announced in 2014 as a free-to-play PC game. Earlier this year, Microsoft confirmed the title would also come to Xbox One with cross-platform play. Gigantic entered closed beta in August.

Bellevue, Washington-based Motiga was founded in 2011 by several video games veterans, including former NCsoft CEO Chris Chung and Rick Lambright formerly of Sony Online, Sierra Online and Monolith.