Activision Blizzard Cuts 8% of Jobs Amid 'Record Results In 2018' (kotaku.com)

On an earnings call this afternoon, publisher Activision Blizzard said that it would be eliminating 8% of its staff. "In 2018, Activision Blizzard had roughly 9,600 employees, which would mean nearly 800 people are now out of work," reports Kotaku. "This afternoon, the mega-publisher began notifying those who are being laid off across its various organizations, which include Activision, Blizzard, and King." From the report: On the earnings call, Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick told investors that the company had "once again achieved record results in 2018" but that the company would be consolidating and restructuring because of missed expectations for 2018 and lowered expectations for 2019. The company said it would be cutting mainly non-game-development departments and bolstering its development staff for franchises like Call of Duty and Diablo. Development sources from across the industry told Kotaku this afternoon that the layoffs have affected Activision publishing, Blizzard, King, and some of Activision's studios, including High Moon. At Blizzard, the layoffs appear to only have affected non-game-development departments, such as publishing and esports, both of which were expected to be hit hard. "Over the last few years, many of our non-development teams expanded to support various needs," Blizzard president J. Allen Brack said in a note to staff. "Currently staffing levels on some teams are out of proportion with our current release slate. This means we need to scale down some areas of our organization. I'm sorry to share that we will be parting ways with some of our colleagues in the U.S. today. In our regional offices, we anticipate similar evaluations, subject to local requirements."

Thankfully, the letter promised "a comprehensive severance package," continued health benefits, career coaching, and job placement assistance as well as profit-sharing bonuses for the previous year to those who are being laid off at Blizzard. "There's no way to make this transition easy for impacted employees, but we are doing what we can to support our colleagues," Brack wrote.

Comments

Bad all around

[Anonymous Coward]

Not a record year. Don't let the misleading slashdot headline and summary fool you. They are idiots.

The real news on Activision Blizzard

They're prepping for the recession

[rsilvergun]

that everyone knows is coming. It's so frustrating because we know a recession is coming and we're doing jack squat to stop it. Just more layoffs to keep the stock prices high and maybe another round of tax cuts.

It's not even like we don't know what to do: Regulate Wall Street so they can't gamble with our money (and make no mistake, it's out money since they're "too big to fail"), pump some money into the supply side (Tax Cuts for people who actually spend money, e.g. the working class, and the "Green New Deal"), increase the minimum wage and lift those stupid bloody tariffs. It doesn't do good to put tariffs on China when they can just build their stuff in Mexico and ship it here duty free (lord I shouldn't have to explain that).

And where the hell is the media in all this? Why the hell aren't they calling the current Admin out for doing nothing to stop the recession?

Re:They're prepping for the recession

[kenh]

Wow, you seem really pissed, but uninformed.

How does increasing the minimum wage help us avoid a recession?

Are you aware of the new trade agreement w/ Mexico? It sounds like you had your talking point ready from the NAFTA days of yesteryear.

The tariffs are a bargaining chip to lower Chinese tariffs on American goods. It is amazing how many critics of Trump fail to grasp even the most basic negotiating tactics - for instance, why does the administration say they can't rule out another (partial) government shutdown? Because to take that off the table weakens their bargaining position. Kinda like when the government says a military invasion/boots on the ground is a possibility in some country - they don't want to send our troops over there, they want the fear of us sending our troops over there to force the parties to negotiate.

Trump always said, to get the best outcome for yourself/your side in any negotiation, you can't fall in love with the deal - you have to be able to walk away, only by being able to walk away can you force the best deal from your opponent. Why does the press fail to understand this simple concept?