Source: AFP
Electronic Arts announced on Wednesday that it is cutting about 5% of its workforce as the tightening of belts in the video game and technology industries continues.
The California company behind hits including soccer game “FC24” is also “sunseting” some titles and halting development of others it believes won’t be successful, CEO Andrew Wilson said in a message to employees published on the Internet.
“We’re improving our company’s operations to deliver deeper, more connected experiences for fans everywhere that build community, shape culture and increase fandom,” said Wilson.
“At this time of change, we expect these decisions to affect approximately 5 percent of our workforce.”
The company’s annual report last year said it had 13,400 employees, meaning about 670 jobs are being cut.
The announcement came a day after Sony announced it was cutting 8% of its global workforce as video game makers find they are not immune to the wave of layoffs seen in the tech industry recently.
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Calling it “sad news,” PlayStation chief Jim Ryan said Sony’s cuts would affect 900 people worldwide, including video game studios.
A separate statement said US studios Insomniac Games and Naughty Dog, part of the PlayStation stable, were affected by the job cuts.
Microsoft in January said it was laying off 1,900 people, or 8 percent of the workforce, from its gaming division following its acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
Last year the broader tech industry lost 260,000 jobs according to layoffs.fyi, a California-based website that tracks the industry.
So far this year, layoffs are 45,356, according to the site, from 176 companies.
Source: AFP