This year has probably been one of the worst for video game developers despite numerous smash hits coming out from across the world. However, the former president of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe believes these layoffs weren’t driven by greed, and has proposed several totally sensible solutions of those affected.
Chris Deering, the former chief executive of Sony Computer Entertainment’s European branch, spoke on the My Perfect Console podcast yesterday, Sept. 9, (thanks Eurogamer), and commented on the layoffs affecting the gaming industry. During the discussion, he said that he doesn’t believe it’s “fair” to state the layoffs have been driven by corporate greed. He added that his approach to hiring was purposefully careful so as to avoid having to lay off many employees once a development cycle ended, further justifying the practice of cutting jobs at studios that didn’t make enough money on their previous games. “If the money isn’t coming in from the consumers on the last game, it’s going to be hard to justify spending the money for the next game,” he said.
Deering claimed losing a job in the gaming industry isn’t the end of the road for developers, as the industry is “still where the action is,” adding that layoffs in general have probably been “very painful for the managers.” Think of the managers, people!
As a solution for dealing with being cut from the workforce, Deering said affected employees should “figure out how to get through it, drive an Uber or whatever,” adding that they should seek out a “cheap place to live and go to the beach for a year.” The former corporate head also said those developers should keep their ear to the ground and pay attention to any developments that could help them settle in employment once again, since “once you get off the train, it’s much harder.”
“Well, you know, that’s life,” Deering concluded, expressing optimism that the workers who lost their jobs will rebound eventually and find new employment elsewhere. And, you know. Drive an Uber or whatever in the meantime. Sounds very in touch with the current job landscape.
This year alone has seen over 10,000 layoffs in the gaming industry (over 5,000 in just the first month), with many more likely to come as studios big and small continue to close their doors and cut their workforce by significant margins.
