Unforeseen Shakeup: PlayStation Subsidiary Faces Unexpected Workforce Reduction

Highlights

PlayStation-owned Visual Arts studio faces layoffs as several senior designers depart, highlighting the impact of support studios in popular game production.

Key members, including former Ubisoft designer Daniel Bellemere, have announced their departure from Visual Arts Group amidst recent layoffs. These downsizing efforts at Visual Arts Group reflect a broader pattern within the gaming industry, as even prominent companies such as Epic Games and CD Projekt Red have been forced to reduce their workforce.

The PlayStation-owned Visual Arts studio recently experienced a wave of layoffs, resulting in the departure of several senior designers from the Sony support studio. While many fans are familiar with studios like Naughty Dog and PlayStation Studios, support studios play a crucial role in the development of popular games. Studio Gogo and other supporting developers have assisted larger studios in completing major releases such as Hogwarts Legacy and Redfall. Now, a respected support studio is facing additional layoffs.

Since its establishment in 2007, PlayStation Studios' Visual Arts Group has contributed to Sony's most significant releases. The Visual Arts Group collaborates with first-party developers like Naughty Dog and Santa Monica Studio on major game projects. They were heavily involved in the release of The Last of Us Part 1 last year, initially working on the project before Naughty Dog took over development. However, PlayStation Studios' Visual Arts Group is now parting ways with several employees.

News of the layoffs at Visual Arts Group would surface as several former employees for the studio announced their departure. Daniel Bellemere, a former senior level designer, revealed his exit from Visual Arts Group, attributing it to a wave of layoffs at the support developer. Bellemere had previously contributed to Ubisoft's projects, such as Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Immortals: Fenyx Rising, as a World Designer. Sean Teo, a rigging artist, and Matt Barney, a senior technical recruiter, also affirmed their departure from Sony.

The recent layoffs at Visual Arts Group have affected numerous senior members in the gaming industry, but they are not unprecedented. In 2023, there have been multiple rounds of layoffs across many of the largest developers in the gaming industry. Last month, Epic Games let go of a staggering 870 employees, while CD Projekt Red reportedly cut approximately 9% of its workforce. Even the biggest gaming companies, like Microsoft, have had to lay off over 10,000 employees throughout the year.

The decision to downsize at Sony's Visual Arts Group comes at a time when the studio's major gaming projects have been enjoying significant success. Insomniac's recently released Spider-Man 2 became the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios game in PlayStation history, selling over 2.5 million units in just 24 hours. Santa Monica Studio's God of War: Ragnarok was a finalist for "Game of the Year" at the 2022 Game Awards, and The Last of Us Part 1 received a nomination for "Innovation in Accessibility." These layoffs will leave many talented game developers from Sony seeking new opportunities with other studios.

Source: VGC