As a gamer with over two decades of experience under my belt, I’ve witnessed the evolution of the gaming industry like a silent spectator watching a grand epic unfold. From humble beginnings to the towering titans we see today, it’s been an incredible journey. But lately, it seems that storm clouds have gathered on our horizon.
The video game industry continues to feel the pinch of layoffs.
On a Wednesday announcement, Bungie (which is owned by Sony) informed its staff that they plan to reduce their workforce by approximately 17%. This equates to around 220 employees.
“Pete Parsons, Bungie’s CEO, penned a note to the team stating that these actions will have an impact on all levels within the company, particularly targeting many of our high-ranking executive and leadership positions,” (paraphrased from original statement)
Following the trend seen at other studios with recent downsizing, Parsons announced that Bungie will channel their energies into a smaller number of high-impact projects in the future.
“Given the increasing expenses in development, changes within the industry, and ongoing economic challenges, it’s evident that significant adjustments are required in our cost framework,” he explained. “These adjustments will involve concentrating all our development efforts solely on projects like Destiny and Marathon.”
Established in the early ’90s, Bungie initially crafted games such as Marathon and Myth. However, it wasn’t until 1999 that they truly made their mark with the launch of the Halo franchise (now streaming on Paramount+). Later, Microsoft acquired Bungie, leading to the production of several Halo series sequels. In 2007, Bungie separated from Microsoft and moved forward to create the Destiny franchise. Fast-forward to 2022, and Sony officially took ownership of Bungie.
The video game industry writ large has undergone substantial layoffs this year.
In January, Microsoft reduced its workforce by 1,900 employees, with its Activision Blizzard division taking a significant blow, while the studio behind League of Legends, Riot Games, let go more than 500 staff members. In February, Sony trimmed 900 jobs from its gaming sector, and Electronic Arts cut 650 jobs and delayed several games, including one based on Star Wars. Take-Two Interactive reduced its workforce by 5% in April and announced plans to cancel numerous projects.
In his memo, Parsons mentioned that the company plans to assimilate approximately 12% of its employees into Sony Interactive. This move will help us retain a substantial amount of skilled personnel who might otherwise be impacted by workforce reductions.
“Bungie is facing some tough times, and we’ll have to assist our staff in adapting to these upcoming alterations over the coming weeks and months. This week, in particular, is going to be difficult, and we understand that our team might need time to comprehend, ask questions, and come to terms with this news.”
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2024-07-31 19:24