Recruit Year’s Post

Friends, as I type this, I am outraged, And you should be too. 😠 Yesterday, it was announced that Bungie would be laying off 220 people, or rather, nearly 20% of it's entire workforce. Pinning it as a 'Difficult and painful day', this decision followed an announcement of an ENTIRELY NEW STUDIO where according to Bungie's official statement, currently does not plan to shift the remaining 65 roles unable to be integrated into Sony Interactive Entertainment towards it. What's this mean? 🤔 😄 155 jobs have the potential to be SAVED! While I applaud Bungie for making integration efforts, this may take MONTHS to happen, well after severance packages and Health Insurance benefits have already been exhausted. 😔 We as an Industry are NOT SAFE. Whether you've had critical success or are a Game of the Year contending title featured by the likes of Geoff Keighley, you as an individual can be laid off in an instant and your livelihood put at risk. 🤨 More luxury goods? Did you know, according to Eurogamer, prior to these layoffs, CEO Pete Parsons has spent nearly 2.5 MILLION dollars total on sports cars? Could this exorbitant amount been used to protect just a few of these people? Back when Satoru Iwata took a 50% pay cut to help prevent Nintendo's layoffs, if this was truly a difficult decision, where are those in charge looking to better PROTECT their people rather than cost them their lives in the first place. While layoffs are unavoidable, there are more actions to be taken, especially when phrased as your companies' "New Path". To anyone affected, if you've yet to already, please feel free to reach out to myself, or make use of the plenty of resources from our Community's friends. WE ARE HERE FOR YOU!! 👏👏👏 Amir Satvat 🔜 Gamescom Alexander Brazie Ayla Derrick Ali Farha Christina-Marie Drake Caitlin Cooke Eva Tucker Justin Williams Kat Craig Matt Hearnden Matt Barney Mika Dilig Willem Delventhal Indie Game Academy #IndieRevolution ✊️ 🚨 I'm kindly requesting friends who see this to provide support for those affected by REPOSTING their content and uplifting their voices. 🚨 These Layoffs NEED to end. We need to bring change, TOGETHER. #GameIndustry #GameDev #Indie #Layoffs #Support #Jobseekers #OpenToWork #Resource #Network #Community #EntryLevel #Hiring #OpenToNetwork #Movement #Love

For a while, I had been posting about the early layoffs in the game industry in 2023 as an indicator that it was the tip of the iceberg and more layoffs would follow. I'm sad to be proven right. I can't even keep up with the layoff announcements at this point. But I am also seeing some incredible new titles in development by indies, in some cases a single developer! The next phase of this cycle is more small indies forming, more unique content (unburdened by corporate constraints) that challenges the big developers again. That eventually leads to acquisitions, which leads to some big (aka long duration) titles/projects, which then leads to corporate bloat and again to shareholder value optimization (layoffs). It's a wheel. Know where it's at and what comes next so you position yourself for it.

An extremely important discussion. How can studios justify mass layoffs while giving bonuses and raises to execs whose decisions directly lead to those same layoffs? What can be done to ensure layoffs are a last resort, especially when corporate managers are pulling in millions in bonuses?

If you where effected by the Bungie layoffs and need to talk my DM's are open. I've been on the market for a year. It's rough, but not impossible. Start with these quick notes: 1. Take a few days to grieve. 2. Get your Resume, Cover Letter, Portfolio, and LinkedIn updated. 3. Look to get them professionally reviewed. Find someone who isn't on Bungie's payroll and will give it you straight (like Richard King). 4. Check into job search aids like the resources from Amir Satvat 🔜 Gamescom. 5. Make yourself office hours. You can't do this 24/7. 6. Find a support group who doesn't live with you. 7. Learn to network, and try to post on LinkedIn at least once a week with no more then 3 hashtags. #Bungie #Gamejobs #Layoff

If your your finance team is hiring, Jake Alcorn should be top of your list. His references are incredible... From his direct manager: "Jake's work speaks for itself....His analytical skills are truly impressive and his ability to take direction and turn that into action is outstanding. He's been an awesome teammate..." From a peer: "In addition to being a fantastic thought leader within the team, Jake brings a positive and caring spirit to the team room environment." My own experience: The brains to build the best financial models with the heart to make sure they're working for everyone. Not only is he great at what he does, but he makes everyone around him better.

Mass Bungie Layoffs Draw Fury From ‘Destiny 2’ Fans, Past And Present Employees Bungie announced yesterday it would lay off 220 employees, 17% of the company, move 155 to roles within Sony Interactive Entertainment and take ~40 or so and create a new sub-studio under Sony https://buff.ly/4carXwY Find more Hiring, Layoff & Job Market Trends at Remote Jobs In HR - buff.ly/4c9Ip0v #Hiring #Layoffs #HiringTrends #HumanResources #JobOpening #Recruiting #TalentManagement #CareerOpportunities #EmploymentTrends #WorkforcePlanning #Unemployment #Jobs #Business #JobCuts #Economy #JobSearch #EmploymentLaw #JobMarketJobSearch #EmploymentLaw

💥🔍 **Uncover the Unexpected: Bungie's 17% Layoff Shock!** 🚀🎮 In a surprising twist, Bungie, the masterminds behind iconic titles like Halo and Destiny, has announced a staggering 17% reduction in their workforce, impacting 220 employees. This marks the second wave of layoffs since the company's acquisition by Sony in 2022. What’s behind these drastic measures? Is it an industry trend or a wake-up call for all businesses to prepare for unforeseen shifts? 🤔 **Key Insights:** - **Adaptability is Key**: In a rapidly changing landscape, staying agile can make or break a company. - **Employee Communication**: Transparency is crucial during turbulent times. Employees were caught off-guard—how can you ensure your team feels secure? 📊🎯 Business professionals, how prepared are you for disruptions like these? Thumbs up if you’re ready to amplify your adaptive strategies or thumbs down if you're caught off-guard! Let’s discuss how we can fortify our organizations against unexpected changes. 💡💬 #BusinessStrategy #WorkplaceCulture #Leadership #HR #Innovation #Adaptability #Layoffs #GamingIndustry #Bungie #CareerGrowth #ProfessionalDevelopment

It’s always tough when talented individuals like those at Humble Games lose their jobs. 36 employees are reportedly impacted by the layoff, and were informed that the company is closing its doors. One question that I keep seeing pop up is, How can a game company that produces successful titles like "Slay the Spire", "Signalis", "Coral Island", and "Unpacking" end up closing its doors? It's indeed surprising, and confusing. But there are several reasons why this can happen... 1️⃣ Even if a game is successful, the revenue might not be enough to cover the development costs, marketing expenses, and operational overheads. Galvanic Games, Inc is a perfect example of this. 2️⃣ The intense workload and stress associated with game development can take a significant toll on the team. Mimimi Games GmbH, known for titles like "Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew," cited a heavy personal toll on their team members as one of the reasons for their closure. 3️⃣ The gaming industry is highly competitive (incase you didn't know), and even well-received games can struggle to maintain a foothold in the market. 4️⃣ Economic downturns, changes in consumer behavior, and other outside factors can also impact a studio's ability to sustain itself. It's a tough industry, and sometimes even great games aren't enough to keep a studio afloat. If anyone affected by the layoffs needs help planning their next move, please reach out. I offer free consultations for those who need it. #workforcemanagement #gaming #layoffs #gamingindustry #humblegames

New Post: Bungie employees say they were caught off-guard by 17% staff reduction - https://lnkd.in/gY7maYeD - Bungie, the gaming company that created sci-fi hits such as Halo, Destiny, and Marathon, has laid off 220 employees, roughly a 17% reduction to its workforce, the company announced Wednesday. This is Bungie’s second round of layoffs since it was taken over by Sony in 2022. Two former Bungie employees affected by Wednesday’s layoffs say © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only. - #news #business #world -------------------------------------------------- Download: #Google #Font #Tester - https://lnkd.in/gKAZYbVN

I've had a number of people ask me whether I think unionization of the video games industry would stop layoffs like yesterday at Bungie. Obviously I have a highly engaged opinion on that particular studio, but yes, I do think that unionization would help bring about better management decision-making. If management knew that layoffs would require an automatic 90-day salary payment and 180 days of COBRA coverage (for example), rather than the 30 and 30 I'm hearing was offered, that extra expense for the company might make management make smarter decisions so as to avoid having to pay it. If they knew that their future salary pool would be diminished by the amount they have to pay the laid-off employees, they might react differently. Then again, I worked with these people, so I have opinions about whether there was anything that could have produced a different result than we saw yesterday. Those classic cars aren't going to buy themselves. Aside: yes I've linked to an Aftermath article. You may or may not be able to access it. If you can't, they're worth a sub.