Activision Blizzard fired about 50 people today, according to Bloomberg and the Sports Business Journal.
The discounts are said to come mainly from the publisher’s live events and e-sports businesses.
“Players are increasingly choosing to connect with our digital games,” said an Activision Blizzard representative. GamesIndustry.biz. “Everything we do is through the goal of our players and, in the last year, we have explored how we could best serve their needs.
“The eSports team, like the traditional sports, entertainment and broadcasting industries, had to adapt its business due to the impact that the pandemic had on live events. We kept a large majority of the team during a complex year and these changes were not easily made, especially in the current environment. We are taking extensive measures to facilitate the transition for all affected employees. “
The representative did not immediately send a request for clarification as to which division came from the reductions.
Speaking to the Sports Business Journal, the president of sports and entertainment activity Activision Blizzard said that the live events for Call of Duty League and Overwatch League will not disappear completely.
“We learned a lot last year about how leagues can be structured for online play and we will look to continue best practices in this,” Petitti said. “In terms of the schedule, it’s a reaction to the reality of how the league plays and what resources we need to allocate to best serve the league, the owners, the teams and the fans.”
A representative of Activision Blizzard further clarified to us, saying that “Live events are still part of both Overwatch League and Call of Duty League strategies. We aim to return to them as soon as it is safe and logistically possible. “
Bloomberg reports that American employees who will be fired will receive at least 90 days off and one year of continuous health benefits.
Blizzard closed its offices in France and the Netherlands in October last year and removed staff from its Asia-Pacific studios in November. Between these layoffs, it announced plans to hire 2,000 people to meet production demands.