tech
The creator of Fortnite has laid off more than 1,000 staff
Huge cuts announced this week show that truly no developer working in games is safe from corporate whims
TL;DR
- Epic Games is laying off over 1,000 employees, adding to recent industry-wide job losses.
- CEO Tim Sweeney stated the company is spending more than it makes, despite Fortnite's success and high revenue.
- Reasons cited include a downturn in Fortnite engagement, industry-wide challenges, and high costs from legal actions against Google and Apple.
- The article criticizes the gaming industry's focus on "live service" multiplayer games and a growth-at-all-costs mentality.
- The author suggests that poor leadership and a history of boom-and-bust cycles are endemic to the industry.
- Developers often bear the brunt of these corporate decisions, despite their talent and dedication.