job security Archives

AppWizard

June 21, 2026

The team behind bullet hell FPS Luna Abyss just got laid off, less than a month after the game’s release

Luna Abyss, a game that blends first-person shooters with bullet hell mechanics, has faced significant challenges following the announcement of layoffs affecting its entire development team. The news was shared by Hollie Emery, CEO of Kwalee Labs, on June 16, stating that the decision was beyond their control. As of now, the game has a concurrent player count of 43 and a peak of 317 players since its release on May 21. Despite its innovative gameplay, the layoffs have overshadowed its potential success.

AppWizard

June 15, 2026

Xbox is reportedly closing South of Midnight studio Compulsion Games after bragging about its award-winning developers earlier this year

Compulsion Games, known for titles like We Happy Few and South of Midnight, may be facing imminent closure as Microsoft’s gaming division undergoes significant layoffs and restructuring. Reports indicate that Compulsion and Double Fine are in negotiations to potentially spin off to avoid shutdown. Employees have expressed concern over job security, with many searching for new opportunities. Compulsion Games, founded in 2009 and based in Montreal, received critical acclaim for its recent title, South of Midnight, which won several awards. Despite previous praise from Xbox executives for the studio's achievements, the future remains uncertain amid corporate changes.

AppWizard

May 14, 2026

Amazon reportedly had a studio pivot away from a game ‘everyone was excited by’ to make something with more AI stuffed in it, then laid them all off anyway

A recent report from Eurogamer highlights the fate of Project Trident at Amazon Games, where the entire team was dismissed after being directed to shift their creative focus towards artificial intelligence integration. This incident reflects a broader trend in the games industry, as Amazon had previously laid off 14,000 employees by late 2025, indicating job insecurity in the field.

AppWizard

March 27, 2026

Valve veteran slams Tim Sweeney and Epic Games for laying off 1000 people while making ‘as much money as possible… and hey Tim, Gabe’s better at that than you’

Chet Faliszek, a former Valve writer, expressed concerns about the recent layoffs at Epic Games, where over 1,000 employees lost their jobs. He questioned the motivation for employees to remain dedicated to their work after such significant layoffs and highlighted the closure of projects like Fortnite Rocket Racing and Ballistic. Faliszek contrasted his experience at Valve, where he felt a sense of ownership and pride, with the current situation at Epic, suggesting that the lack of agency could lead to a diminished work ethic. He warned that the layoffs could negatively impact the gaming industry's culture, resulting in a loss of passion and care among employees. Faliszek criticized Epic's strategic decisions and emphasized the importance of recognizing and rewarding employees' hard work. Epic Games did not provide specific feedback on his comments but referred to a recent post addressing the layoffs. The atmosphere at Epic is tense, with concerns about the future of Fortnite amid the workforce reductions.

AppWizard

October 30, 2025

CWA president urges regulators scrutinise EA Saudi deal

Claude Cummings Jr., president of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) union, has requested a thorough investigation by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) regarding the proposed acquisition of Electronic Arts (EA) by a consortium of investors primarily funded by Saudi Arabia. He expressed concerns about job security for thousands in the gaming industry and the potential impact on market dynamics, urging regulators to evaluate how the acquisition could affect EA's market power and wage-setting authority. The acquisition would transition EA to private ownership under investors including the Saudi Public Investment Fund. The CWA previously supported the acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft after negotiating a labor neutrality agreement.

AppWizard

October 22, 2025

Over 500 Steam Next Fest demos used generative AI, and I’ve never felt more disappointed

Over 500 demos at the October 2025 Steam Next Fest disclosed the use of generative AI in their development processes, accounting for 17% of the offerings. Developers primarily used AI for marketing and Steam store page assets, but it also extended to art, audio, coding, writing, and in-game interactions. The demo Cloudheim was the most popular, indicating AI was used for "internal communication." Concerns have arisen regarding job security for professionals in the industry, as reliance on AI increases. Some games, like Arc Raiders, have vague disclosures about AI's role, leading to noticeable issues such as awkward dialogue. The lack of transparency about AI-generated assets is also troubling, with some games not disclosing AI usage until players notice discrepancies.

AppWizard

October 17, 2025

Saudi Arabia’s acquisition of Electronic Arts faces pushback from game developers, petition calls on FTC to ‘scrutinize this deal closely’

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, along with private equity firms, is acquiring Electronic Arts (EA) for a billion dollars, facing significant resistance from the United Videogame Workers-CWA union. The union has urged regulators to prioritize job protection, creative freedom, and accountability in decision-making. EA, with annual revenues of .5 billion and profits of billion, is not in distress, but concerns have been raised about potential layoffs, particularly at BioWare, a studio known for its progressive narrative approach. The union warned that job losses would be a choice made for investor profit rather than necessity. U.S. senators Richard Blumenthal and Elizabeth Warren have expressed concerns about national security risks related to the acquisition, but regulatory intervention seems unlikely due to a shift in the FTC's stance and the involvement of Jared Kushner in the deal. The union has initiated a petition to prompt regulatory examination of the acquisition.

AppWizard

October 4, 2025

Civilization 7’s latest update brings improved map generation, a better UI, and a ‘full rework of Napoleon’, but it hasn’t moved the needle on its divided Steam rating

Firaxis released update 1.2.5 for Civilization 7, introducing enhancements to gameplay based on player feedback. Key changes include a complete overhaul of the map generation system with two new map types: "Continents and Islands" and "Pangaea and Islands." The update also adds two new city-state types: Diplomatic and Expansionist, and implements a strategic balance pass that replaces percentage stacking bonuses with numerical bonuses. Napoleon Bonaparte's character has been upgraded, providing additional rewards for provoking conflicts and advantages for imposing sanctions. Despite these updates, the game's reception is lukewarm, with a Steam rating of 43%, attributed to dissatisfaction with the Age Transition concept. Take Two CEO Strauss Zelnick remains optimistic about the game's performance, noting that it aligns with expectations despite recent layoffs at Firaxis.

AppWizard

August 15, 2025

Arkane STJV members demand Microsoft halt support for Israel

Members of Arkane Studios, part of the French union STJV, have called on Microsoft to stop its support for Israel, aligning with the Boycott, Divest and Sanction (BDS) movement and the No Azure for Apartheid campaign advocating for Palestinian rights. The BDS movement, established in 2005, aims to discourage corporate engagement with Israel, particularly following Microsoft's services to the Israeli military. Over 2,000 employees from Microsoft's gaming division signed a petition against the company's support for Israel. The STJV expressed that Microsoft should not be complicit in what they termed a genocide and emphasized the responsibility of tech workers to ensure their technologies do not facilitate oppression. They also raised concerns about the impact of Microsoft's actions on the viability of Xbox Games and their job security.

AppWizard

June 2, 2025

ZeniMax Workers United and Microsoft sign tentative labour agreement

ZeniMax Workers United has negotiated a tentative labor agreement with Microsoft that includes a 13.5 percent wage increase effective July 1st, job security protections against arbitrary termination, limitations on AI usage in the workplace, guarantees for quality assurance workers to receive credit for their contributions, and new minimum salary standards as outlined by the Communications Workers of America (CWA). This agreement follows over two years of challenges and negotiations since the union's formation and comes after a vote to strike due to frustrations over contract delays.