In 2024, the gaming world is gradually witnessing the rise of layoffs, with February marking the beginning.
Supermassive Games’ Supermassive Layoffs
Supermassive Games has made a couple of good games over the years, such as Until Dawn and The Dark Pictures. But it looks like they keep facing massive issues.
First, it was the stepping down of both of the studio’s founders, Pete and Joe Samuels. The studio was the brainchild of these brothers, who began this venture in 2008, over 15 years ago.
Now, it is the layoff. It is being reported that more than 150 employees had already been given a heads-up before the layoffs that some of them could be facing. As stressful as it may be for the employees, it is in accordance with UK law that an employee has to be informed about the potential termination several days prior to the formal decision. The recent news from the company is that they have laid off at least 90 of those employees.
All of these developments paint a bleak picture for the award-winning game studio. Their title ‘Until Dawn’ won a BAFTA Gaming award in 2016, along with nominations in the ‘Best British Game’ and ‘Best Story’ categories.
The statement they shared on their LinkedIn profile also suggests that they have been encountering financial difficulties, much like the rest of the victims of the layoffs.
PlayStation’s Colossal Shredding
This news comes shortly after another devastating development in the gaming industry. PlayStation, often regarded as one of the biggest players in the market, has confirmed plans to lay off around 900 employees.
The situation appears dire for the entire gaming industry, prompting even industry giants like Sony and Microsoft to implement significant changes in their policies and business operations—a move that is highly unprecedented.
Outgoing Sony CEO Jim Ryan, who recently sat down with Variety to discuss his plans for the future, has now given a statement indicating that necessary changes are forthcoming within the company. This clear hint suggests that employee layoffs may indeed be on the horizon.
Many may not have noticed, but Jim had already hinted at the layoffs during his conversation with Variety when he was asked about it. He said, “It obviously is a difficult time for many,” and “I would just say that nobody can ever be complacent, and nobody can ever feel that anything’s forever.” These statements might have served as a cue to all their employees, preparing them mentally for such actions in the near future. And indeed, the future arrived just a few days after the conversation.
Microsoft De-Activison Blizzard
Sony is not the only bigwig letting go of employees. In January, Microsoft announced plans to lay off over 1,900 of their employees soon. These employees will come from Activision Blizzard and Xbox.
Apparently, there appears to be a pattern of CEOs and founders departing companies or studios shortly before disappointing news emerges. First, it was Jim Ryan from Sony, then the Samuels brothers from Supermassive Games, and now Activision Blizzard President Mike Ybarra and Chief Design Officer Allen Adham are leaving the company.
Call Of Duty is arguably one franchise that has consistently witnessed an increase in the number of players. It’s undoubtedly one of the best franchises at the moment, alongside others like Grand Theft Auto and Assassin’s Creed, etc. Nevertheless, it couldn’t prevent the mammoth layoff.
EA Woes
EA has undeniably been the sole sports gaming company that has elevated the sports genre of gaming to new heights with every release. Their dominance in the sports gaming genre spans over 35 years, beginning with their first sports game back in 1988. While other sports gaming studios have tried their hand in the market and received praise from critics and gamers alike, none have ever come close to the giant that EA is, especially in the most played sport in the world: football, or soccer, as one may prefer to call it.
Despite facing significant criticism in recent years for their excessive focus on in-game purchases, sometimes even necessitating them for full game experiences. However, EA’s expertise in developing a vast catalogue of some of the most memorable sports games of all time is unquestionably praiseworthy.
However, despite all of these accolades, they are planning to lay off around 700 employees, as reported by Variety.
These are just a few of the many gaming studios undergoing the process of laying off employees. Here is a list of all the companies that have either laid off their employees already in 2024 or have planned to do so in the near future.
These are undeniably trying times for the studios, but perhaps even more so for the employees within these gaming companies. As discussed in the article above, whether the company is relatively new, small, or one of the biggest in the industry, everyone is feeling the impact of layoffs and economic decline. This means that employees across the board are living in a constant state of fear and anxiety, essentially waiting for the possibility of being laid off at any moment.
