CEO and 22-year company veteran Rui Casais to leave Tencent-owned developer once "difficult phase" of restructuring completes, to be replaced by Scott Junior

Norwegian developer Funcom has begun a restructuring process following a decision to focus solely on live operations for Conan Exiles and Dune: Awakening, with an unknown number of staff affected. CEO Rui Casais, who has lead the developer for 11 years including through its 2020 acquisition by Tencent, will leave the business at the end of the year, to be succeeded by Chief Product Officer Scott Junior.

“Dune: Awakening has been the biggest project we have ever undertaken, requiring many years of significant development resources across our studios,” said Casais in a statement. “Moving from full production into long-term post-launch development and operations requires a different organization. While we would have wanted everyone who helped build Dune: Awakening to continue with us, we cannot sustain the size and structure required during peak development as we move into this next phase. My focus now is ensuring the process is as supportive as possible for everyone affected, and to treat our colleagues with the respect and transparency they deserve.”

Casais has been with the firm for 22 years starting as a junior programmer, as he recounted to GamesIndustry.biz in 2018. His successor, Junior, has been with the firm 25 years and recently served as Executive Producer on Dune: Awakening.

In a press release, the firm said the restructuring will "guarantee Funcom’s focus on Dune: Awakening and Conan Exiles going forward. The company remains committed to supporting, expanding, and growing these games and their communities for years to come. Conan Exiles recently saw the release of an Enhanced edition, that Funcom will continue to expand upon."

"As Funcom aligns its organization with this new focus, the company will also enter a period of restructuring. This will mean reducing the size of the organization and, sadly, saying goodbye to valued colleagues."

"The process begins now, and out of respect for the employees involved, Funcom will not share further details until it has concluded."

The firm previously laid off staff in October 2025 following the launch of Dune Awakening, which it described as the biggest launch in the company's 32-year history. As part of that process it closed Swedish developer The Outsiders, creator of Metal: Hellsinger, which it acquired in 2021.

In the same year Funcom also acquired the Conan IP through its purchase of holding company Cabinet Group, which also held the rights to Solomon Kane and Mutant Year Zero alongside other IP, which is managed through Funcom subsidiary Heroic Signatures. It followed the 2018 launch of Conan Exiles, which the firm said had recovered its development budget in five days on its way to becoming one of its "most profitable and most-played games."

Tencent's Yong-yi Zhu previously told GamesIndustry.biz that service games were part of Funcom's DNA: "They design games to be live services, and we support them on that journey." Tencent has been taking a "more assertive" approach with its studio portfolio in the last eighteen months and divested a number of businesses including Secret Mode, Splash Damage and Bulkhead.

“Leading the continued growth of Dune: Awakening and Conan Exiles is a big responsibility, and I am honored to be entrusted with it,” said Junior. “My focus going forward will be ensuring Funcom is organized in the best way possible to expand these games for many years to come through new content and gameplay, while fostering a close relationship with our dedicated communities.”

“We are incredibly proud of the games we have built and excited about what comes next."

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