No one likes to hear the plans of layoffs. That isn’t good for anyone. A company struggling to stay afloat will need to make adjustments, which can sometimes mean cutting down staff. We’ve recently seen quite a bit of that within the video game industry. A bubble popped post-pandemic as fewer consumers were focused on video games. They were not locked away in their homes, and as a result, home media dwindled back down after the sudden boost it saw during the the height of the pandemic. Don’t Nod Entertainment was just another studio that seemed to be undergoing plans for layoffs after the pandemic came to an end.
Last month, word spread of Don’t Nod Entertainment’s reorganization plans, which would potentially see up to 69 jobs removed from the workforce. As it stands, the staff is not willing to put up with that. Gamesindustry.biz reported that a strike is planned for the staff beginning on November 8, 2024.
The employees striking from the company already have a few demands in place. Staff wants to see the abandonment of the plans mentioned last month. Staff also wants new negotiations with Don’t Nod Entertainment’s CEO present. Likewise, the staff would like to have a voice in the company’s decision-making.
In the open letter that gamesindustry.biz translated, it seems that the employees view the company as being directly hurt by the decisions at the top of the studio. Despite efforts made by staff, their opinions seem to have fallen on deaf ears. Additionally, those at the top are not paying the price for their choices.
It will be interesting to see how the strike unfolds and if Don’t Nod Entertainment can get back on track without cutting down any jobs. But for now, we’ll have to wait and see how long this strike will take and its eventual outcome.
