Sony to lay off about 900 PlayStation employees, shut London studio.
Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) said it will lay off about 900 employees, roughly 8% of its global PlayStation workforce, as it restructures operations across several regions. The company also confirmed it will close PlayStation Studios’ London Studio.
What Sony said
In a message to staff, SIE president and CEO Jim Ryan said the company made an “extremely hard decision” after reviewing its business and the industry’s evolving landscape. Sony stated that the reductions will follow local legal processes and consultation requirements, and that it will provide support to affected employees.
Who is affected
Sony said the layoffs will impact teams in the Americas, Japan, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific. The company specifically called out PlayStation Studios’ London Studio closure in the UK, as well as reductions at Firesprite and other operations.
Why this is happening
The announcement follows a broader wave of cutbacks across the games industry after the post pandemic surge in demand cooled and development costs rose. Sony and other major publishers have been reassessing project portfolios, live service investments, and studio structures to match changing market conditions.
What it means for players
Sony did not announce any immediate changes to upcoming release schedules in the initial statement. However, studio closures and staffing reductions can affect timelines for projects in development. Sony emphasized it remains committed to creating high quality experiences for PlayStation players.
Sources
- Reuters (Feb 27, 2024): Sony to lay off about 900 PlayStation employees, shut London studio – https://www.reuters.com/technology/sony-lay-off-900-playstation-employees-shut-london-studio-2024-02-27/
- Sony Interactive Entertainment blog (Feb 27, 2024): Difficult news about our workforce – https://sonyinteractive.com/en/news/blog/difficult-news-about-our-workforce/
- AP News (Feb 27, 2024): Sony to cut about 900 jobs in its PlayStation unit – https://apnews.com/article/1f85ae1c0bdda667bd59ee87ac912000
