Large layoffs
Cut at least 10% of its staff, or 300 or more jobs, in one round.
Layoffs are a business decision, not wrongdoing, but large ones show how a company treats staff when money gets tight.
What it means
The company laid off a large share of its workers at once. That isn't wrongdoing in itself, and severance can be fair, but big cuts often follow over-hiring and can close studios, cancel games or end support for live games people play.
How we apply it
We add it when one round of cuts removes 10% or more of the company's staff, or at least 300 jobs, from the company's own statement or reliable reporting. The note gives the year and the size. Closing a studio counts towards the total.
Companies in the guide with it
- Activision
February 2019: Activision Blizzard announced about 775 job cuts, about 8% of its workforce.
Developer and publisher · United States · 1 game in the guide - Electronic Arts
October 2026: EA announced the closure of BioWare amid about 400 reported job cuts; it had earlier disclosed cuts of about 6% of staff in March 2023 and about 5% in February 2024.
Developer and publisher · United States · 5 games in the guide - Epic Games
About 830 jobs cut in September 2023 and more than 1,000 in March 2026.
Developer and publisher · United States · 1 game in the guide - id Software
July 2026: about 136 jobs, roughly half the studio, cut in Xbox's restructuring.
Developer · United States · 1 game in the guide - King
About 200 King staff (around 10% of the company) were laid off in July 2025 as part of Microsoft's job cuts.
Developer and publisher · Sweden · 1 game in the guide - Microsoft Gaming (Xbox)
Microsoft Gaming cut about 1,900 jobs in January 2024, and Xbox announced about 3,200 cuts from July 2026.
Developer and publisher · United States · 0 games in the guide - Niantic
June 2023: cut about 230 jobs (about 25% of staff), closed its Los Angeles studio and cancelled two games.
Developer and publisher · United States · 1 game in the guide - Riot Games
January 2024: about 530 jobs (around 11% of staff) cut and Riot Forge closed.
Developer and publisher · United States · 1 game in the guide - Sony Interactive Entertainment
Announced about 900 job cuts, around 8% of its workforce, in February 2024.
Developer and publisher · United States · 1 game in the guide - Take-Two Interactive
April 2024: cost-cutting plan to reduce its workforce by about 5% (it had 12,371 full-time staff) and cancel several games in development.
Developer and publisher · United States · 0 games in the guide - Zynga
June 2013: Zynga cut about 520 jobs, around 18% of its workforce.
Developer and publisher · United States · 1 game in the guide