Layoffs
Ongoing coverage on Layoffs.
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"This company has been driven into a wall for years" - Life is Strange studio Don't Nod faces unrest while teetering on insolvency
French studio Don't Nod, known for Life is Strange, is facing deep unrest and has entered safeguard proceedings to avoid insolvency. The company is undergoing significant restructuring, including substantial layoffs, while attempting to complete its in-development game codenamed P14 through increased outsourcing. Employees report a prolonged period of uncertainty and anxiety, with management's decisions criticized for negatively impacting staff health and livelihoods.
EA morale hits a new low amid AI push and BioWare closure: "A cold dead place that's slowly decaying as leadership pilfers every last cent"
Morale at Electronic Arts is reportedly at an all-time low following recent layoffs and the closure of BioWare's studio. Employees describe the layoff process as impersonal and disruptive, with management pushing generative AI tools despite employee concerns. The publisher's acquisition by a consortium including Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund has also led to significant cost-cutting measures.
Sucker Punch Lays Off 24 Staff Weeks After Ghost of Yōtei’s Echoes of Sekigahara Launch
Sucker Punch Productions, the studio behind Ghost of Tsushima and Ghost of Yōtei, has laid off 24 employees, approximately 10 percent of its staff. This decision comes less than a month after the launch of the Ghost of Yōtei: Echoes of Sekigahara expansion, despite the game selling millions. The layoffs are attributed to market challenges and the needs of the studio's next project, and follow similar cuts at other PlayStation studios like Bluepoint Games and Bungie.
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun studio announces major layoffs, then quickly deletes the announcement
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun developer Auroch Digital announced significant layoffs, stating that market conditions have impacted the studio, leading to a restructuring that will affect approximately a quarter of its employees. This announcement was made via LinkedIn but was subsequently deleted, though employees have confirmed the redundancies. The news comes despite recent critical success for games like Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun and the upcoming Warhammer Survivors.
EA workers complain of ‘terrible’ morale amid layoffs and ‘heavily pushed’ generative AI
Electronic Arts employees are reportedly experiencing terrible morale due to recent layoffs and a strong push towards generative AI implementation. One anonymous employee described the company as a 'cold dead place that's slowly decaying as leadership pilfers every last cent.'
Microsoft offers voluntary exit buyouts to more than a quarter of its existing workforce
Microsoft has offered voluntary exit buyouts to over a quarter of its workforce, impacting approximately 60,000 employees. The packages are similar to standard severance, offering base pay based on seniority and tenure. The extent to which Xbox employees are included in these buyouts remains unclear, amidst ongoing job cuts.
You just can't win—despite Ghost of Yōtei selling millions of copies, 24 people are reportedly being let go…
Despite Ghost of Yōtei selling over 5 million copies, developer Sucker Punch Productions has reportedly laid off 24 employees, approximately 10% of its staff. This decision comes amidst broader challenges in the videogame industry, including rising development costs and market instability, leading to a critical view of the industry's health.
Life is Strange makers Don't Nod face layoffs and possible insolvency, French workers union STJV state
French game workers union STJV has reported that Don't Nod, the studio behind Life is Strange, is facing significant layoffs and potential insolvency. The company has entered a "safeguard procedure" to avoid liquidation due to an inability to pay debts, with widespread job cuts affecting nearly all non-managerial roles. The union criticizes the company's management for poor communication, alleged illegal targeting of employees, and a reliance on outsourcing.
Sucker Punch Productions reportedly lays off 24 employees following launch of Ghost of Yōtei: Complete Edition
Sucker Punch Productions has reportedly laid off 24 employees, citing market challenges and future project needs. This news comes after the recent launch of Ghost of Tsushima: Iki Island, which followed the successful release of Ghost of Tsushima. Sony Interactive Entertainment has been contacted for comment.
Boltgun 2 and Warhammer Survivors devs Auroch Digital say they're laying of 25% of their staff in now-deleted posts
Auroch Digital, developers of Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun and Warhammer Survivors, have confirmed they are laying off 25% of their staff due to market conditions. The studio's public statements regarding the layoffs were deleted shortly after being posted, a unique occurrence amidst a wave of industry job cuts. Post-launch development for both games will continue.
Ghost Of Yotei Was A Hit, But Its Developer Is Reportedly Cutting Jobs
Sucker Punch Productions, the Sony-owned studio behind successful titles like Ghost of Tsushima and Ghost of Yotei, has reportedly laid off 24 employees. This represents at least 10% of the studio's staff, with leadership citing market challenges and project needs. The layoffs follow a period of critical and commercial success for the studio's open-world samurai games.
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 Developer Hit by Layoffs Affecting 25 Percent of its Employees
Auroch Digital, the developer behind Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun and Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2, has announced significant layoffs affecting 25 percent of its workforce due to challenging market conditions. Despite critical acclaim for its recent titles, the studio cited industry turbulence as the reason for the restructuring. Auroch Digital is seeking industry partners to help place the affected employees and has assured players that post-launch support for Boltgun 2 and development for Warhammer Survivors will continue.
On AI in game dev, Final Fantasy and Mana veterans say humans will always need to "turn zero into one," but…
Square Enix veterans Yoshinori Kitase, Hiromichi Tanaka, and Koichi Ishii believe that while AI can streamline game development processes, human creativity will always be essential for initial concept generation. They suggest AI can handle the 'one to a hundred' tasks, freeing up humans to focus on the crucial 'zero to one' stage of innovation, though the article notes AI's role in current industry layoffs.
Skydance launches employee Voluntary Buyout Program following merger
Skydance has launched a voluntary buyout program for employees following its merger with Paramount and Warner Bros. The program offers financial and career support to staff who choose to leave, with rumors suggesting it precedes potential forced layoffs as the two companies integrate.
Xbox staff among up to 60,000 Microsoft employees offered voluntary exit
Microsoft is offering a voluntary exit to eligible employees across various teams in the US, UK, Canada, and India, including those in Xbox and AI divisions. This follows previous layoffs and a voluntary retirement program earlier in the year, with sources suggesting up to 60,000 employees could be eligible for the new offer.
Microsoft is looking to cut over a quarter of the whole company in new voluntary buyout program with 60,000 employees…
Microsoft is reportedly offering a voluntary buyout program to approximately 60,000 employees, representing over a quarter of its workforce, as it continues to focus on AI development. This follows previous rounds of layoffs and buyouts, with the Xbox division being particularly affected.
Microsoft restructuring continues with 60,000 employees given buyout offer to leave now, or probably get laid off later anyway
Microsoft is continuing its restructuring efforts by offering buyouts to approximately 60,000 employees. This move suggests potential future layoffs, as employees are presented with the option to leave now or face probable termination later.
Microsoft offers 'voluntary exit' buyouts to 60,000 employees in US, UK & Canada
Microsoft has offered voluntary exit buyouts to approximately 60,000 employees across the US, UK, and Canada, providing financial support and career planning resources. This move follows recent layoffs within Xbox, which saw 3,200 employees affected and several studios closed.
Auroch Digital lays off a quarter of its staff
Auroch Digital has laid off approximately a quarter of its staff due to challenging market conditions affecting the game development industry. The studio, acquired by Sumo Group in 2021, cited the need to restructure to navigate a turbulent period, expressing pride in recent game releases like Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun and Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War. The company is seeking to place its affected staff in new roles within the industry.
Microsoft is looking to cut more than 25% of its workforce
Microsoft has announced a voluntary exit offer to its employees in the US, UK, India, and Canada, potentially cutting over 25% of its workforce. This move is part of the company's strategy to balance spending on AI services and adapt its workforce to changing needs. Employees who accept the offer will leave on December 31.
