LittleBigPlanet, Desires Developer Media Molecule Reportedly Planning To Lay Off 20 Staff

PlayStation first-party studio Media Molecule, which is the group behind Desires and LittleBigPlanet, is reportedly set to layoff round 20 workers. That is in keeping with a brand new report from Sports Illustrated’s GLHF, which states the information of impending layoffs was revealed throughout an inside assembly held as we speak on the studio. 

The layoffs are set to scale back group workers by 15 to twenty%, with a headcount discount of 135 to 115, in keeping with GLHF. The report does not point out a selected cause why past workers discount, however Sport Informer has reached out to PlayStation to substantiate the layoffs and related numbers, why the layoffs could be occurring, and if affected workers will obtain severance; we are going to replace the story if we study extra or obtain remark again from PlayStation. 

Media Molecule was initially an impartial studio earlier than PlayStation acquired it in 2010. The group is accountable for LittleBigPlanet, LittleBigPlanet 2, Tearaway, and Desires. Learn Sport Informer’s LittleBigPlanet 2 evaluate right here after which take a look at our Desires evaluate. 

These reported Media Molecule layoffs be a part of an sadly ever-growing record of layoffs affecting the studios behind video games launched in 2023, which by all accounts is among the finest years in gaming when it comes to releases. In January, Microsoft laid off 10,000 workers amidst its ongoing $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which it accomplished earlier this month. 

In August, Hanging Distance Studios, the group behind final yr’s The Callisto Protocol, laid off greater than 30 workers, and that very same month, Mass Impact and Dragon Age developer BioWare laid off 50 workers, together with long-time studio veterans. The next month, in September, Immortals of Aveum developer Ascendant Studios laid off roughly 45% of its workers. 

Simply this month, The Final of Us developer Naughty Canine has laid off no less than 25 workers and Telltale Video games has gone by means of layoffs as nicely, though an precise variety of laid off workers has not but been revealed.  

The hearts of the Sport Informer workers are with everybody affected by these layoffs and people nonetheless on the studio. 

[Source: GLHF]