"That's life": Former Sony executive advised laid-off developers to temporarily work as taxi drivers or relax on the beach
Over the past year and a half, gaming companies worldwide have been laying off employees en masse. The former president of PlayStation Europe, Chris Deering, believes this is a natural occurrence.
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Deering shared his opinion on the My Perfect Console podcast. He said it is unfair to blame corporate greed as the cause of the current layoffs crisis. The fact is that such situations in the industry are not new. As Deering recalls, during his time at Sony, he always tried to slow down the hiring of new employees because he knew there was a "new cycle" ahead.
Deering stated that specialists who have lost their jobs need to accept the situation and wait until things improve.
“I don’t think having skills in game development will lead to a lifetime of poverty or limitations. Events are still unfolding here, similar to a pandemic. So you need to figure out how to get through this. Get a job as a driver for Uber or somewhere else, find cheap housing, spend a year on the beach. But stay informed and don't fall behind, because as soon as you step off the train, everything becomes much more difficult. […] I assume that people were paid some decent severance, and by the time it runs out... well, you know, that’s life,” said Deering.
According to data from the Game Industry Layoffs portal, in 2023 gaming companies dismissed more than 10,500 employees. Since the start of 2024, another 11,900 people have lost their jobs.
