Activision Blizzard's Major Restructuring: Over 50 Employees Let Go

Approximately 50 employees at Activision Blizzard's eSports team have been laid off, raising questions about the division's future. Recent developments within the Overwatch League and the impact of the latest layoffs at Activision Blizzard may have an influence on the highly regarded eSports competition. Despite mixed reactions to the launch of Overwatch 2, which brought significant changes to the original formula, certain fans continue to support their favorite teams and eagerly anticipate each eSports match. It is worth noting that Activision Blizzard is currently revising the Overwatch League agreement terms, possibly linking these revisions to the recent job cuts.

Originally reported by The Verge, Activision Blizzard has recently terminated around 50 employees from their eSports division. These affected team members were unexpectedly let go without any alternative job opportunities within the company. The layoff came as a shock to the employees, particularly because they were actively involved in developing new tournament tools for the Overwatch League. It was anticipated that these tools would play a significant role in the upcoming Overwatch League competition. However, since they have not yet been integrated into Overwatch 2, some developers have begun to question the game's future.

After the current season of the Overwatch League, teams will have the option to vote on a revised agreement and potentially receive a payment of $6 million each if they choose not to accept it. If none of the Overwatch League teams decide to renew their contract with Activision Blizzard, the company will pay out approximately $114 million. An employee who was laid off from Activision Blizzard suggested that the company lacks the necessary internal support to continue hosting Overwatch League matches, which require a dedicated support team. The decision to make changes in the eSports division of Overwatch comes shortly after Activision Blizzard announced that Overwatch 2 will be available on other PC platforms, such as Steam, in addition to Battle.net.

Although the move of Overwatch 2 to Steam may attract more players, it remains uncertain if the eSports division will be able to recover in time for the game's launch on the new platform. Given that the Overwatch League has experienced a decline in viewership compared to previous seasons, Activision Blizzard may have determined that the eSports division was no longer economically viable. It is possible that the changes in the Overwatch 2 eSports scene were part of Activision Blizzard's long-term plan, but it is unclear whether Microsoft's attempts to acquire the company had any influence on this decision.

Overwatch 2 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

Source: The Verge