Gaming firm Electronic Arts laying off about 6% of its workforce

San Francisco, March 30 (IANS) Popular video game company Electronic Arts (EA) is laying off around 6 per cent of its workforce amid global macro-economic uncertainties.

According to reports, EA had about 13,000 employees last year, which means a 6 per cent cut could cut around 780 jobs.

EA CEO Andrew Wilson told employees in a blog post that as the company drives greater focus across its portfolio, “we are moving away from projects that do not contribute to our strategy, reviewing our real estate footprint, and restructuring some of our teams”.

“These decisions are expected to impact approximately six per cent of our company’s workforce. This is the most difficult part, and we are working through the process with the utmost care and respect,” he added.

The company is providing opportunities for impacted employees to transition onto other projects.

“Where that’s not possible, we are providing severance pay and additional benefits such as health care and career transition services. Communicating these decisions began earlier this quarter and we expect them to continue through early next fiscal year,” said Wilson.

However, business is gaining momentum as the company continues to deliver high-quality games and amazing content.

“EA SPORTS FIFA 23 is pacing to be the biggest title in franchise history. Apex Legends performance is strong on the heels of a memorable 4th anniversary event, and The Sims is fuelling imagination and engagement across its passionate community,” said the CEO.

According to a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), EA will incur around $170 million to $200 million in charges related to the layoffs and restructuring.

EA laid off around 200 Apex Legends testers in February over a Zoom call, according to a report from Kotaku.

–IANS

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