Xbox Legend Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb Laid Off From Unity
It remains unclear whether anyone else was affected.
If I had a nickel for every legendary figure Unity Technologies has fired in recent months, I'd have two nickels, which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice. First came Ben Cloward, a respected and widely known shader developer, and now Larry Hryb, an Xbox legend better known as Major Nelson, has announced that he, too, was laid off by the engine developer.
Having joined Unity in June 2024 as Director of Community and Advocacy, Hryb was tasked with driving platform adoption, engaging with the community, and helping restore the company's reputation, which had been heavily damaged by its universally-detested 2023 attempt to force developers to pay an extra "tax" based on how often users installed their games.
After less than two years at the company, Hryb announced that he is no longer with Unity, explicitly stating in social media posts that he was laid off and did not leave of his own volition. "I am proud of the goals my team and I accomplished in just 18 months, and I am grateful for the creators and teams I had the chance to support," he commented.
At this time, it is unclear whether others at Unity were affected and if Hryb's departure was part of a larger round of layoffs at the company. If so, it would mark the seventh wave of job cuts Unity has carried out in recent years, following losses of 200-400 employees in 2022, around 1,165 workers in 2023, 1,800 in 2024, and an undisclosed but reportedly significant number in 2025.
So, what are your thoughts on Major Nelson being laid off from Unity? Why would the company choose to part ways with someone as widely recognized and respected in the community as Hryb? Share your thoughts down in the comments.
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