Former Sony executive claims industry layoffs are not due to corporate greed

The number of layoffs in the video game industry will be very high in 2024, with an estimated 11,500 employees being laid off at companies such as Ubisoft and Bungie. But now former Sony executive Chris Deering is being criticized for claiming the layoffs were not the result of corporate greed.

Deering, the former president of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, recently appeared on Simon Parkin’s Eurogamer podcast My Perfect Console. In a conversation with Parkin, Dearing shared his thoughts on the massive layoffs that have rocked the industry.

“I don’t think it’s fair to say that the resulting layoffs are greedy,” Dearing noted. “If the money for the last game didn’t come from consumers, it’s hard to justify spending money on the next game.”

There is some truth to Dearing’s comments. The recent failure of Sony’s hero shooter Concord means eight years of development costs have been irretrievably lost, while Firewalk Studios, the studio behind the game, may face layoffs due to the game’s poor response. After making his initial sentiments, Deering went on to add some additional remarks that may not put him in the best light.

“I think it can be very painful for managers, but I don’t think having the skills [of game development] “It’s going to be a lifetime of poverty or restriction,” Deering said. “It’s still where the action is, just like with the pandemic, but now you have to take some…figure out how to get through it, drive an Uber or whatever. Way, find a cheap place to stay and go to the beach for a year but keep an eye on your news and keep up with it because once you get off the train, things get a lot harder.

Suffice it to say, driving an Uber or “going to the beach for a year” isn’t a viable option for everyone, especially those who are skilled professionals dedicated to this industry. Executives may have an easier time weathering career turmoil than the average employee, but that doesn’t mean they can simply ignore what others are going through. This is why Deering is currently being mocked on social media. warn: Some very strong language is used in the following post.

The backlash from this discussion will likely stay with Dearing for a long time. But in the meantime, no one knows how many more layoffs there will be in 2024, or when the industry will reverse the trend.