‘Halo’ and ‘Destiny 2’ video game studio to lay off 17% of its workforce
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2024-07-31/video-game-firm-bungie-to-lay-off-17-of-its-workforce
By Samantha Masunaga
Staff Writer
July 31, 2024 10:27 AM PT
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Sony Corp.-owned video game company Bungie said Wednesday it would lay off 17% of its workforce — or 220 people — amid economic difficulties in the gaming industry.
The Bellevue, Wash., firm said the layoffs will affect every level of the company, including executives and senior leadership. The company said it will offer severance, bonus and healthcare coverage to affected employees.
“As we’ve navigated the broader economic realities over the last year, and after exhausting all other mitigation options, this has become a necessary decision to refocus our studio and our business with more realistic goals and viable financials,” Bungie Chief Executive Pete Parsons said in a post on the company website.
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PlayStation’s Bungie to Lay Off 220 Staffers, About 17% of Workforce
https://variety.com/2024/gaming/news/playstation-bungie-layoffs-220-employees-1236091494/
Bungie employees say they were caught off-guard by 17% staff reduction
https://techcrunch.com/2024/07/31/bungie-employees-say-they-were-caught-off-guard-by-17-staff-reduction/
–Game Dev Anon here,
As far as game studios go, Bungie has the reputation of being ULTRA Woke compared to other shops, which says a lot because game studios traditionally employ a good bit of people who lean far left. During 2020's "Summer of Love" they used to make auction style pledges/donation sessions to Black Lives Matter during company meetings, putting peer pressure on employees. Seeing the 17 pop up in the story caught my attention as this being part of the plan in some way.–