The recent industry layoffs have not spared even the creators of popular games like Apex Legends. Members of the Respawn team have taken to social media to confirm that they too have been affected by the layoffs. While not personally let go, Respawn level designer Aaron Stump expressed his sadness over the layoffs that hit the Apex team. He mentioned that it was tough to see colleagues he had worked with for almost three years lose their jobs.
Senior writer Peter Stewart also shared his thoughts on the layoffs, stating that it had been a rough day at EA and Respawn. Although he was grateful to still have his job, he expressed solidarity with those who were affected by the recent wave of layoffs. Another developer, Alex Ackerman, who had been with the company for five years, shared a heartfelt message on social media expressing his gratitude for the opportunity to work on Apex Legends and support the community.
The layoffs at Respawn are part of a larger trend within the gaming industry. In February, EA announced that it would be laying off around 5% of its workforce, amounting to approximately 670 people. This included the cancellation of a Star Wars FPS project that was in development at Respawn. The industry-wide layoffs also affected other major companies like Sony and Microsoft, who announced significant cuts to their games divisions, resulting in over 900 and 1,900 job losses respectively.
The recent layoffs at Respawn and EA are just a small part of the larger picture of job losses in the gaming industry. Since the beginning of 2024, an estimated 8,100 developers have been laid off, leaving both industry insiders and fans wondering about the future of game development. The sheer number of layoffs has raised concerns about the stability of the industry and has prompted discussions about how the industry arrived at this point and what steps can be taken to address the situation.
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