Skydance has begun laying off workers at Paramount Games. That’s been expected since Paramount closed the $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros.
On LinkedIn, various people confirmed they were laid off or were said to have been laid off from the company here and here and here and here. David Ballard, an associate design director at Paramount Games, said he and several of his colleagues were laid off. Skydance, headed by David Ellison, is the name of the combined company encompassing both Paramount and Warner Bros.
“My chapter with Skydance and Paramount came to an end today with a layoff,” Ballard wrote. “I’m super grateful for the opportunities I was given the past almost 4.5 years. A shipped title, several awards, two promotions, an incredible team, and an unbelievable amount of creativity and collaboration. What a ride!”
Ballard added, “That said, it’s a sad day for several of my coworkers who were also affected. If any former Skydance Interactive folks come your way, they are some of the best people I’ve had the privilege of working with, and I can only recommend you give them a shot to show you what they’re made of.”
Insider Gaming reported that at least 30 people were let go in the cuts. The company has not commented yet. There’s a list of some of the people laid off and seeking jobs here.
It’s not clear how many people are working for Paramount Games, or the exact number laid off. Warner Bros. Games has not yet made a similar announcement.
In a LinkedIn post, senior gameplay engineer and game AI programmer Rebecca Vessal said she was not impact but most of her team was cut.