Activision Blizzard Inc. is set to lay off nearly 400 employees in its Santa Monica and Irvine mobile gaming divisions. This move aims to eliminate redundancies following last year’s $75.4 billion merger with Microsoft Corp.
Latest Round of Layoffs
This announcement comes on top of 1,003 layoffs made over the past year, affecting offices in Novato, Foster City, and Southern California. The latest cuts will begin on October 11 at Blizzard Entertainment in Irvine.
Affected Positions
Jobs being eliminated include:
1. Accountants
2. Software engineers
3. Director of human resources for World of Warcraft
4. Artists
5. Director of technology game designers
6. Game producers
7. Sound designers
8. Game director and vice president
Company Statement
Activision Blizzard spokeswoman Delay Simmons confirmed the layoffs, stating they are part of previously announced reductions. “The 400 roles… are not new; they include mostly corporate and supporting roles, and some impacts to gaming teams.”
Background
Last year’s merger with Microsoft led to significant restructuring. In January, 1,900 layoffs were made within Microsoft Gaming’s Activision Blizzard, Xbox, and ZeniMax Media units. Earlier this month, Microsoft Gaming announced 650 additional layoffs.
Impact on Gaming Industry
The layoffs reflect the evolving gaming landscape and the challenges of integrating large companies. Activision Blizzard’s popular titles, including World of Warcraft, Call of Duty, and Candy Crush, remain unaffected.
Activision Blizzard to Lay Off 400 in Mobile Gaming Divisions
