Epic Games Announces Layoffs at Mediatonic
Epic Games, the US publisher, has recently made the decision to lay off a significant number of developers at Mediatonic, a UK-based development team. Mediatonic was acquired by Epic Games in 2021 after the successful launch of their game, Fall Guys, which gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cost Cutting Measures Lead to Layoffs
Kotaku, a gaming news outlet, has reported that Epic Games is implementing massive cost-cutting efforts, resulting in the layoff of “tons of developers” at Mediatonic. These layoffs are part of the company’s plan to reduce its workforce by 16%.
Epic Games’ Commitment to Game Investment
Epic CEO Tim Sweeney sent an email to employees addressing the layoffs, assuring them that the company will continue to invest in the team’s games. Sweeney emphasized that they will maintain their support for Fortnite’s homegrown games, as well as the creator economies of Fortnite, Rocket League, and Fall Guys.
Response from Affected Developers
Following Sweeney’s statement, some developers affected by the layoffs took to social media to share their departure from the studio. Ed Fir, a designer and writer at Mediatonic, expressed his devastation about leaving behind his talented colleagues.
“Unfortunately, I am one of those affected by today’s layoffs at Epic. I am absolutely devastated to leave behind so many wonderful colleagues from Mediatonic whom I loved.”
Ed Fir also shared an image on Twitter, showing the rearranged letters of Mediatonic’s logo spelling “Decimation,” symbolizing the impact of the layoffs.
Mediatonic logo right now: pic.twitter.com/LHqbc62LL3
— Ed Fear (@edfear) September 28, 2023
