Unity, the multiplatform game engine company, has announced that it will be reducing its workforce by about 25%, which accounts for approximately 1,800 of its employees. The layoffs, which affect all segments of the company, are to be completed by March 2024 and is part of the company’s restructuring to refocus on its core business. This initiative is behind the plan to position Unity for profitable and long-term growth. While costs associated with these changes have not been clarified, they are expected to be primarily tied to severance payments, employee benefits, and transition.
The decision to lay off employees comes on the heels of the controversy the company experienced in 2023 after announcing plans to introduce “runtime fees” for developers. CEO James Whitehurst has confirmed that these additional fees will continue, with the expectation that this change in the business model will initially have minimal benefit but will gradually increase as more customers adapt to their new releases.
2024 has begun on a sobering note for the gaming industry, with not just Unity, but also VR studio Archiact announcing layoffs. This trend seems to continue the wave of layoffs that knocked several gaming companies in the previous year.
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