restructuring Archives

AppWizard

April 4, 2025

Ubisoft has closed its Leamington studio

Ubisoft has announced the closure of its Leamington studio, expressing gratitude towards its developers. The studio officially closed its doors after many years of operation, with a small number of workers continuing through remote contracts. This decision is part of a broader restructuring effort within Ubisoft, which has resulted in the layoff of 185 employees across various departments. Ubisoft acquired the Leamington studio in 2017; it was originally founded in 2002 as FreeStyle Games.

AppWizard

April 3, 2025

PlaySide is making layoffs

PlaySide Studios, an Australian game developer, is reducing its workforce as part of an operational restructuring due to challenges in securing new work-for-hire projects. The layoffs will primarily affect work-for-hire and non-project specific personnel, with an undisclosed number of positions being cut. The restructuring is expected to save between AUD 4 million and AUD 5 million annually, but will incur a one-time cost of AUD 1.5 million. Ongoing projects, such as Mouse: PI for Hire, will not be impacted. The company plans to provide outplacement support and counseling services to affected employees. CEO Been Skender emphasized the need for resilience in the business model while acknowledging the difficulties faced by staff.

AppWizard

March 28, 2025

An unannounced Hogwarts Legacy expansion and ‘definitive edition’ have reportedly been cancelled

Warner Bros. Games has canceled plans for an expansion and a "Definitive Edition" release of Hogwarts Legacy as part of its restructuring efforts. The cancellation was influenced by a cost-benefit analysis that deemed the financial investment unjustifiable. This decision follows substantial financial losses from other Warner titles, leading to studio closures and the cancellation of a Wonder Woman game. David Haddad, the chief of Warner Bros. Games, resigned prior to these closures. Despite the success of Hogwarts Legacy in 2023 and the company's commitment to the Harry Potter franchise, the cancellation of the expansion has raised questions. A sequel to Hogwarts Legacy remains a priority for Warner.

AppWizard

March 27, 2025

Crystal Dynamics cuts 17 jobs

Crystal Dynamics announced a workforce reduction of 17 employees as part of a strategic move to align with evolving business needs. The studio is developing a new Tomb Raider installment to be published by Amazon and is involved in reviving the Perfect Dark franchise with Microsoft's The Initiative studios. The company is providing transition packages and outreach opportunities for affected employees. Crystal Dynamics stated that the layoffs do not reflect the dedication or capabilities of those impacted and assured stakeholders that project timelines and objectives will not be affected.

AppWizard

March 19, 2025

Bossa co-CEO Clough steps down

Daniel Clough, co-CEO of Bossa Studios, announced his departure from the company via LinkedIn. He joined Bossa in 2018 as general manager and became co-CEO in January 2021. His tenure included navigating challenges in the gaming industry, leading to a significant downsizing of the studio in preparation for the release of their upcoming title, Lost Skies. Clough noted that the studio's new size necessitated a restructuring. His departure is part of a broader leadership change, with several team members also leaving. Bossa recently implemented job cuts as part of ongoing adjustments to industry dynamics.

AppWizard

March 12, 2025

Industry vet Verdu departs Netflix

Mike Verdu has officially left Netflix, where he had been leading its gaming division since 2021 before overseeing generative artificial intelligence initiatives. He was replaced by Alain Tascan from Epic Games. Following Verdu's departure, Netflix has been adjusting its gaming strategy, including shutting down its Team Blue studio and experiencing talent departures, such as Joseph Staten and Chacko Sonny. Additionally, layoffs occurred at Night School Studio, indicating ongoing restructuring within Netflix's gaming operations.

Tech Optimizer

March 7, 2025

Webroot Premium

PCMag editors independently select and review products. Webroot Premium combines device-level protection with identity theft tracking and remediation, but its antivirus protection is limited compared to competitors. Webroot Premium costs .99 per year for five devices and one identity, with a family edition available for .99 covering ten devices and identities. Other competitors like Bitdefender Ultimate Security and Norton 360 With LifeLock offer more comprehensive features at similar price points. Webroot AntiVirus has been rebranded as Webroot Essentials, and older versions have been phased out. The installation process for Webroot Premium is straightforward, and it includes a firewall that monitors network activity. Webroot's antivirus effectively identifies malware, achieving a 100% detection rate in tests. It also offers a secure deletion tool and basic identity protection features, including credit monitoring, transaction monitoring, and dark web monitoring, though these features are less comprehensive than those of competitors. Webroot provides 24/7 support for identity restoration, with a monetary guarantee for remediation services up to million for ten family members. Overall, while Webroot Premium offers solid antivirus protection, its identity protection capabilities are limited compared to other security suites.

AppWizard

March 1, 2025

Games revenue dipped 53% at Warner Bros during 2024

Warner Bros reported a 53% drop in revenue for its gaming division in 2024, as disclosed in its 10-K filing with the SEC. The overall content revenue declined by eight percent, primarily due to the decrease in gaming revenue, which saw a 29% year-on-year drop in the final quarter of 2024. The decline is attributed to underperforming titles in 2024, following the success of previous releases like Hogwarts Legacy and Mortal Kombat 1. The company plans to close several studios, including Monolith, Player First, and its San Diego studio, and will focus on four key franchises: Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Mortal Kombat, and DC Comics. Warner Bros aims to restore profitability to its Games division by 2025 and enhance its contribution to the company's growth.

AppWizard

February 26, 2025

Warner Bros shuts down three studios, including Monolith

Warner Bros has announced the closure of three development studios: Monolith Productions, Player First Games, and its mobile-focused San Diego studio. As a result, 131 employees in Kirkland, Washington, will be laid off. Monolith Productions is known for titles such as Fear, Condemned, Shadow of Mordor, and Shadow of War, but its anticipated Wonder Woman game will not be developed. Player First Games is recognized for the game Multiversus. Warner Bros stated that the closures are part of a strategic shift to focus on key franchises like Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, DC, and Game of Thrones, and emphasized that the decision does not reflect the talent of the teams involved.

AppWizard

February 25, 2025

Bossa makes unknown number of job cuts

Bossa Games, based in London, has announced a workforce reduction as part of a strategic pivot for the late-stage production of its upcoming title, Lost Skies. Co-CEO Henrique Olifiers shared that the studio plans to reorganize into smaller teams after the game's launch to enhance innovation and expedite future development. He expressed regret over the layoffs, acknowledging the talent of those affected. Earlier in 2024, Bossa Games had already laid off about a third of its staff.