AppLovin announces an additional reduction of 97 positions, which includes the CEO of its subsidiary studio, Machine Zone

AppLovin has issued layoffs affecting 97 employees, including a significant portion of the workforce at its subsidiary Machine Zone, as well as the CEO, effective March 21, according to filings in California. The information was initially picked up by PocketGamer.

This recent round of job cuts follows a previous reduction in January 2025, where 89 positions were eliminated, making it the seventh notification of this kind since June 2022. Other affected months include October and November 2024, which saw 120 and 126 jobs impacted, respectively.

The layoffs also encompass high-ranking positions at Machine Zone, including the CEO and design director, as the Chief Technology Officer role had been vacated during earlier reductions. A former team member indicated on LinkedIn that most of Machine Zone has been shut down.

Despite the ongoing reductions, AppLovin continues to seek new employees, as suggested by its recruitment listings.

The year 2025 has already seen around 1,600 developers lose their jobs. The affected companies include Freejam, Splash Damage, Piranha Games, and Jar of Sparks. Other notable mentions include Ubisoft, ProbablyMonsters, Iron Galaxy, and Sumo Group. In addition, Liquid Sword, NetEase Games, Toast Interactive, Night School Studio, and Striking Distance have also experienced layoffs, with the trend continuing at Ballistic Moon, Eidos Montréal, and PlaySide.