Activision Blizzard has laid off about 50 people today, as reported by Bloomberg and Sports Business Journal.
The cuts would mainly come from the publisher’s live events and esports businesses.
“Players are increasingly opting to connect digitally to our games,” an Activision representative told Blizzard GamesIndustry.biz“Everything we do is through the lens of our players, and for the past year we have been exploring how best to meet their needs.
“The esports team, like the traditional sports, entertainment and broadcasting industries, has had to adapt its operations due to the impact the pandemic has had on live events. changes were not made lightly, especially in the current environment. We are taking extensive steps to ease the transition for all employees involved. “
The representative did not immediately request clarification as to the origin of the cuts.
Speaking to Sports Business Journal, Tony Petitti, Activision Blizzard’s president of sports and entertainment, said live events for Call of Duty League and Overwatch League will not disappear altogether.
“We learned a lot last year about how to structure the leagues for online play, and we will strive to continue best practices from that,” said Petitti. “In terms of timing, it is a response to the reality of how the leagues play and what resources we need to deploy to best serve the league, owners, teams and fans.”
An Activision Blizzard representative further clarified us, saying, “Live events are still a big part of both the Overwatch League and Call of Duty League strategies. and logistics is feasible. “
Bloomberg reports that U.S. workers who are laid off will receive at least 90 days of severance pay and one year of ongoing health benefits.
Blizzard closed offices in France and the Netherlands last October and cut staff in its Asia-Pacific studios in November. In between those layoffs, it announced plans to employ 2,000 people to meet manufacturing needs.