Refactor Games, the studio behind FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition, has laid off 85% of its workforce, according to studio head Nathan Burba in confirmation to GamesBeat. The game launched in June exclusively on Netflix, timed to coincide with the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Publisher Delphi Interactive pulled funding from the project, leading to the studio's closure. Despite Netflix publicly stating that the title had one of the strongest debuts in the platform's gaming segment, the decision to shut down came less than a month after release.
Staff members announced their departures through LinkedIn posts, marking an abrupt end to a project that might have seen continued support or improvements in a potential sequel. The closure reflects broader challenges facing smaller and independent studios in the current market.
