Support NeoGAF

[pasterpl]

Thought that I will create one thread touching on all big-tech and smaller companies related to gaming that went through some layoffs recently (instead of threads singling out MS for some reason).

Sources
https://news.crunchbase.com/startups/tech-layoffs/
https://layoffs.fyi/
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/18/tec...zon-meta-others-have-cut-more-than-60000.html
https://www.ign.com/articles/sony-reportedly-laid-off-90-shift-away-physical-sales#
https://appleinsider.com/articles/23/02/10/how-apple-avoided-big-techs-mass-layoffs

Big tech;
Amazon - Amazon laid off 10,000 people (3% of the company) in November, and an additional 8,000 (2%) in January 2023.
Alphabet (Google) - 12,000
Apple - 0
Meta - 11,000 - Layoffs affected 13% of employees.
Microsoft - The company laid off an undisclosed number of people in July. In January it laid off an additional 10000 people + GitHub Layoffs that affected around 10% of employees.

Other;
AMD - 0
Intel - 343
Dell - 6650
N-Vidia - 0
Nintendo 0
Sony 90

Some smaller gaming companies affected;

Tilting Point	60	1/31/2023	Video games	New York	mobilegamerbiz	Private	Layoffs affected around 14% of employees.
Unity	509	1/17/2023	Video Games	San Francisco	WSJ	Public	Layoffs in June affected 225 people, or around 4% of employees. In January, the company laid off 284 additional people.
Kabam	35	11/9/2022	video games	San Francisco	TechCrunch	Private	Layoffs affected 7% of employees.
Mythical Games	Unclear	11/4/2022	Video games, blockchain	Los Angeles	Bloomberg	Private	Layoffs affected 10% of employees.
Skillz	Unclear	8/29/2022	Mobile Apps, Gaming	San Francisco	Seeking Alpha	Public
Jam City	Unclear	8/4/2022	Mobile Apps, Gaming	Culver City	VentureBeat	Private	Venture Beat reported around 150 to 200 people were laid off, which amounted to 17% of the company
Niantic	85	6/29/2022	Video Games, AR	San Francisco	Bloomberg	Private	Layoffs affected around 8% of employees.
Playtika	250	5/31/2022	Gaming	Tel Aviv	Globes	Public	Closing studios in London, Montreal, and Los Angeles. Layoffs affected around 33% of employees.
Skillz	70	5/20/2022	Esports/Video Games	San Francisco	TechCrunch	Public	Layoffs affected around 10% of employees.

@mods maybe we can merge all of these lay off threads into one?

 

[DenchDeckard]

I think Sony deserve props for it only being 90 but I suppose you can't lay off staff when your posting incredible numbers and booking the market trend so much.

When you're more or less having a record breaking quarter in performance, you can't lay off staff and shouldn't need to.

Seems like they are operating extremely efficiently or didn't go on a mass hiring spree due to covid.

 

[pasterpl]

I think Sony deserve props for it only being 90 but I suppose you can't lay off staff when your posting incredible numbers and booking the market trend so much.

When you're more or less having a record breaking quarter in performance, you can't lay off staff and shouldn't need to.

Seems like they are operating extremely efficiently or didn't go on a mass hiring spree due to covid.

At the same time ms is laying off lots of people, and Sony still letting people go despite record profits while Nintendo is giving people pay rises
https://kotaku.com/nintendo-switch-union-pay-raise-layoffs-pokemon-scarlet-1850082365

 

[ahtlas7]

Rough time to be cut. Make yourself invaluable especially if you work in tech.

 

[[Sigma]]

Sony laid off 90 people in the in April of last year.

 

[lh032]

At the same time ms is laying off lots of people, and Sony still letting people go despite record profits while Nintendo is giving people pay rises
https://kotaku.com/nintendo-switch-union-pay-raise-layoffs-pokemon-scarlet-1850082365

i think Sony is afraid of another mass layoff, so they are trying to cut down the workforce bit by bit to avoid overhiring, which helps to reduce their operating cost.

 

[Robb]

Happens every time the economy drops like stone. Hopefully everyone affected manages to find a new gig quickly.

 

[Daneel Elijah]

i think Sony is afraid of another mass layoff, so they are trying to cut down the workforce bit by bit to avoid overhiring, which helps to reduce their operating cost.

The layoffs were on april of 2022. And not about games developers or stuff like that, but sales force.

PlayStation Reportedly Lays Off Nearly 90 Employees In North American Offices Due To ‘Global Transformation’

Many of the positions were in sales and marketing departments of the company.

www.gameinformer.com

Full article below :

Sony PlayStation has reportedly laid off nearly 90 employees in its North American offices.

This news comes by way of a new report from Axios, which writes that most of the cut positions were in the sales and marketing departments of the company. As for why, PlayStation leadership reportedly cited a “global transformation” of the company’s sales and business operations in the U.S. and elsewhere.

The cuts, which have not been publicly disclosed by Sony or its PlayStation arm, happened last week, one laid-off employee told Axios. More specifically, documents reveal Sony PlayStation is ending its “merchandiser” team in the U.S., with roles like PlayStation Representatives and more terminated. These employees were often responsible for going to brick-and-mortar stores to sell PlayStation products and educate employees there on those products.

Multiple retail marketing jobs were cut as well, according to Axios. One worker laid off told the publication that they felt the company could have done more to find laid-off employees alternate jobs within it. They also said they were disappointed PlayStation had not told the affected departments sooner than they did.

Always sad for people to be fired. But this is old news. And 90 people is nothing compared to the others companies that are in this thread. Still not a good point for the fired people of course.
A funny point is how do you calculate how many people have been fired and/or hired when the big companies are global and use partners, contractuals, and work with externals developpers?
Nintendo is said to have 0 layoffs but Niantic, who makes Pokemon Go among others games, did lay off people.

Edit: Not against Nintendo or to suggest to put the niantic numbers on Nintendo. Just as an example of how compagnies have partners and that those partners can be included if you try to look at the full picture.

 

[Robb]

Nintendo is said to have 0 layoffs but Niantic, who makes Pokemon Go among others games, did lay off people.

Is that part of Nintendo though? I can’t remember if they have a majority stake (>50%), I’m thinking it’s less.

 

[Daneel Elijah]

Is that part of Nintendo though? I can’t remember if they have a majority stake (>50%), I’m thinking it’s less.

I have seen 32%.

 

[Robb]

I have seen 32%.

Okay, thanks. In that case it doesn’t make sense to put those layoffs on Nintendo (if that’s what you meant in your original post that is).

 

[Daneel Elijah]

Okay, thanks. In that case it doesn’t make sense to put those layoffs on Nintendo (if that’s what you meant in your original post that is).

Of course they are not Nintendo fault. Just that when you use partners and deals with other companies it get more complex than just who you are personaly firing. I used Nintendo and Niantic because it was easy with their numbers already here. When you have a supplier they often took the blows for you if you are the dominant partner. One of the reasons Apple is not firing as much. Their suppliers are.

 

[MasterCornholio]

(instead of threads singling out MS for some reason)

No issue with this thread existing but could you please cut this part out?

Don't want you getting in trouble over this.

 

[mrmustard]

No issue with this thread existing but could you please cut this part out?

Don't want you getting in trouble over this.

This shouldn't get him in trouble. People get away with much more than that.

 

[MasterCornholio]

This shouldn't get him in trouble. People get away with much more than that.

Well I've seen people get in trouble for less. I know I have from personal experience.

 

[mrmustard]

Well I've seen people get in trouble for less. I know I have from personal experience.

Does it depent here on how many people hit the report button?

 

[MasterCornholio]

Does it depent here on how many people hit the report button?

I don't have the report button. I asked the mods to get rid of it a long time ago since I didn't like seeing so many people that I reported get banned.

With that said I don't believe its dependent on the number of reports. They merely get notified of one and then look at it to see if it requires action.

 

[Robb]

When you have a supplier they often took the blows for you if you are the dominant partner. One of the reasons Apple is not firing as much. Their suppliers are.

Definitely. I just thought you meant they should be added to Nintendo, which would be strange as it’s not their decision.

 

[Daneel Elijah]

Definitely. I just thought you meant they should be added to Nintendo, which would be strange as it’s not their decision.

Sorry for the misunderstanding then. I will edit the post.