Video game development has always been a volatile career field, but lately it seems as though more developers than usual have found themselves without jobs due to mass layoffs. Last month, news broke aboutActivision layoffs cutting 800 employees from its labor force. Now,EAhas announced roughly 350 workers have been removed from its labor pool.
The layoffs appear to have primarily affected employees in the marketing and publishing departments of the company, specifically in Japan and Russia. An email sent out to employees by Andrew Wilson, EA’s CEO, outlined the publisher’s goals for the company, stating that the layoffs would help streamline decision-making in the publishing and marketing departments.
Wilson also stressed EA’s vision to be the best video game company in the world, but that the company “was not there right now”. He explained that it still had to focus on building its relationships with players, as well as its games and business.
EAhas since released a statement regarding the layoffs, stating that it, “took some important steps as a company to address [its] challenges and prepare for the opportunities ahead”. The statement continued, “In addition to organizational changes, we are deeply focused on increasing quality in our games and services. Great games will continue to be at the core of everything we do, and we are thinking differently about how to amaze and inspire our players”.
EA confirmed that it was trying to find other roles within the company for displaced employees, and that any workers that were unable to be relocated would be provided severance packages, which some other companies have failed to provide in the past, like whenTelltale laid off most of its staff. Still, even with severance packages, layoffs sting. However, the layoffs were reportedly expected for quite some time, according to employees in the affected department.
Clearly, EA is looking to make a fundamental change to its business. Lately, the company’s moves have hinted to some reformation, includingEA skipping E3 2019. How those changes will take shape in the future remains to be seen, but hopefully those affected by theseEAlayoffs will find even better alternatives for their own futures.
