Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced that it’ll be laying off 900 people in an effort to ‘reduce the overall headcount’ of employees across the globe.
Jim Ryan, President and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) has issued a statement on the company’s blog expressing that a “tough decision” had been made to reduce Sony’s global workforce.
“The PlayStation community means everything to us, so I felt it was important to update you on a difficult day at our company,” the post reads.
The company has reduced its overall headcount by roughly 8%, which equates to approximately 900 individuals.
Ryan states that those employed at Sony are “incredibly talented people” who have played a part in the company’s global success.
“However, the industry has changed immensely, and we need to future ready ourselves to set the business up for what lies ahead,” the post reads.
Sony’s CEO included a copy of the email sent out to the company this morning, which aims to “provide more context” to the company’s process.
The restructuring of operations, “which regrettably includes a reduction in (Sony’s) workforce,” is with the intention of streamlining resources, securing continued success, and ensuring the delivery of high-quality experiences for gamers and creators.
According to the email, cuts will impact employees across the globe – in the Americas, EMEA, Japan, and APAC – alongside several PlayStation studios.
Specifically, the email outlines the impact of cuts on the UK, as “PlayStation Studios’ London Studio will close in its entirety” alongside reductions in Firesprite studio and various operations across SIE.
In Japan, SIE will “implement a next career support program,” details of which will be “communicated separately.”
In the US and other countries, those who have been impacted will be contacted promptly, according to Ryan’s email.
Sony’s CEO states that the process will vary based on location, local laws, and regulations.
Affected individuals have already taken to X to express their sorrow surrounding the news.
One post reads, “I have nothing to say. I’m in tears. I am looking for a new job, I guess, so please reach out. I’m numb, and once settled, I may have more to say.”
This is not the first major tech company that has made significant cuts to its workforce.
A multitude of well-known organizations, including Twitch, Amazon Prime Video, and Google, have started the year with cuts.
Amazon’s Twitch, the live streaming platform, planned to reduce its workforce by 35%, which roughly equates to 500 workers, following the exit of the South Korean market in January.
It appears that a range of other tech companies have followed suit, as in January 2024 alone, 30 organizations reported a reduction in their workforce – demonstrating a devastating trend in the tech industry at present.
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