Sony to lay off 900 PlayStation workers
PlayStation London Studio to close, reductions in employees at studios including Insomniac and Naughty Dog
Sony Interactive Entertainment is cutting 8% of its global PlayStation workforce, including the complete closure of PlayStation London Studio.
In an internal email shared by SIE president and CEO Jim Ryan in a blog post, the layoffs will impact employees across all SIE regions, including the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), Japan, and the Asia Pacific (APAC).
In Europe, PlayStation London Studio is set to close and cuts will be made at Firesprite and Guerrilla Games.
In the US, Insomniac Games, Naughty Dog, and PlayStation's technology, creative, and support teams will be affected, in addition to other teams across PlayStation Studios, as shared by PlayStation Studios head Hermen Hulst in a separate blog post.
Ryan cited the "evolving economic landscape, changes in the way we develop, distribute and launch products" as the reasons for SIE's decision to restructure the company.
"The goal is to streamline our resources to ensure our continued success and ability to deliver experiences gamers and creators have come to expect from us," he wrote.
"This will not be easy, and I am aware of the impact it will have on wellbeing. Affected employees will receive support, including severance benefits.
"While these are challenging times, it is not indicative of a lack of strength of our company, our brand, or our industry. Our goal is to remain agile and adaptable and to continue to focus on delivering the best gaming experiences possible now and in the future."
Sony reported an increase in sales for the whole company and its PlayStation division in its latest financial results, with net sales for the nine months ended December 31, 2023 increasing to ¥3.2 trillion ($21.2 billion) for its Game & Network Services division.
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