Sony has reportedly reduced its workforce at Visual Arts and PlayStation Studios Malaysia, according to a recent report.

Layoffs have reportedly impacted staff at PlayStation's Visual Arts and PS Studios Malaysia, both of which support first-party PlayStation projects.

According to Kotaku, some employees at Visual Arts were informed that March 7 would be their final day at Sony. The exact number of affected staff is unclear.

The cuts are described as "widespread," impacting developers involved with a recently shelved live-service game by Bend Studios.

It appears that PS Studios Malaysia has also reduced its workforce. This is confirmed by Johann Affendy Mahfoor, a former senior project manager, on LinkedIn.

Mahfoor expressed, "A wave of workforce reduction has sadly ended my time with the PS brand," noting the hard hit on both high performers and key project contributors.

GamesIndustry.biz has sought further insights from Sony regarding these developments.

PS Studios Malaysia, established in 2020, collaborates with Visual Arts on art and technical support for PlayStation’s in-house studios. They recently partnered with Naughty Dog for The Last Of Us Part 1 and 2 remakes.

Other former employees, Chris Clyde and Lewis Labram, also disclosed their layoffs via LinkedIn.

Abby LeMaster, now a senior lead producer at Riot Games R&D, previously served as a project manager at Visual Arts and shared her reaction to the news.

LeMaster stated, "The news this morning about layoffs was hard to hear, affecting many talented friends and colleagues at PSVA."

"In an unpredictable industry, the expertise and passion of those I worked with are truly outstanding," she added.