A Tale of Two Worlds: Western Gaming Sees 96% of Layoffs While Japanese Studios Keep Hiring
Over 96% of recent gaming layoffs hit the West due to overexpansion, while Japanese studios like Nintendo and Capcom prioritize sustainability and retention.
Layoffs & Studio Restructuring
This section collects news reports on workforce reductions, studio closures, and corporate acquisitions across the gaming and entertainment industries. It also covers executive leadership changes, project cancellations, and labor disputes or internal crises affecting major publishers.
31 articles
Over 1,900 Blizzard Workers Ratify First Contract Protecting Against AI and Layoffs
Over 1,900 Blizzard union workers have ratified their first historic contract, securing protections against generative AI replacing staff alongside stronger layoff safeguards.
Sony Music Closes VTuber Agency VEE, Talents Retain Channels and Models
Sony Music announced the closure of its VTuber project VEE, allowing talents to retain their channels and avatar models to continue streaming independently.
Saudi Arabia's Savvy Games Group Set to Acquire Mobile Legends Developer Moonton from ByteDance for $7 Billion
ByteDance is reportedly set to sell Moonton, the developer of Mobile Legends, to Saudi Arabia's Savvy Games Group in a deal valued at up to $7 billion.
Black Flag Lead Takes Over Assassin's Creed Hexe After Clint Hocking Departs Ubisoft
Ubisoft veteran Jean Guesdon takes over Assassin's Creed Hexe as creative director following Clint Hocking's departure from the studio.
Teikoku Databank Reports 10 Mobile Game Companies Filed for Bankruptcy in First Half of 2026
A report from Teikoku Databank shows that 10 Japanese mobile game companies filed for bankruptcy in the first half of 2026, putting the industry on track to set a new record.
Cover Corp. Announces the Graduation of 6 HOLOSTARS JP Members Following Structural Management Changes
Cover Corp. has announced the graduation of six HOLOSTARS JP VTubers following recent structural changes and reduction of corporate support for the group.
Sony and Bungie Announce Major Layoffs Following Final Destiny 2 Update
Sony Interactive Entertainment and Bungie have announced major staff layoffs following the release of Destiny 2's final major update.
EA CEO Faces Backlash Over $38.6M Pay Rise Amid Layoffs and Pay Cuts
EA CEO Andrew Wilson faces severe criticism after receiving a $38.6 million pay package despite extensive employee layoffs and salary reductions at the company.
Netflix Shuts Down Two In-House Game Studios to Pivot Away from AAA Titles
Netflix is closing two internal game studios, Night School Studio and Moonloot Games, shifting focus toward living room titles instead of AAA games.
Epic Games Sells ArtStation to KitBash to Focus on Unreal Engine 6
Epic Games has sold digital art platforms ArtStation and Sketchfab to KitBash in order to shift focus toward developing Unreal Engine 6.
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced Developers Strike Over 51 Layoffs Despite Strong Sales
Ubisoft Barcelona developers have gone on strike to protest the layoff of 51 employees, despite the massive launch success of Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced.