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Layoffs hit Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe

SpaceCrystal

SpaceCrystal

Banned
Apr 1, 2019
7,714
It's sad for everyone involved. Hope that they find new jobs/careers soon.

Kemono said:
Just in time for Playstation us to fuck it up for the european and japanese markets.

Sports and guns for all.
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Harlequin said:
I really don't like the idea of the US branch having more control and influence over what's going on in Europe. The tech and entertainment sector is too Americanised as it is.
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This is what happens when Sony decides to move their main gaming headquarters from Japan to California back in 2016 & decides to cater gaming & most of their decisions to being "all about America" (& I'm referring to 1st/2nd party games).

Makes me glad that Nintendo isn't backing out of Japan & is still catering to all gamers of all nationalities.
 
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Deleted member 49535

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2,825
Papacheeks said:
The most successful studios are all in America barring GG, POLYDIGITAL, Japan studio, mm. Insomniac, naughty dog, sucker punch, santa Monica, San Diego studio(mlb) are all in America.
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I was talking about PlayStation as a whole, not just first-party stuff (they are firing marketing and PR people after all, not developers).

First-party development has definitely been better in America, yes, but they've also had more resources and investment there, like the ICE Team for example. And even still, isn't Uncharted way more popular in Europe than in America? Why would you fire the people who made a game designed by Americans more successful in Europe than in their own country? It doesn't make sense.
 
Springy

Springy

Member
Oct 28, 2017
2,213
This sucks. Employers should be mandated to explore redeployment options in these situations. My thoughts with everybody affected.
 

Deleted member 58846

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Jul 28, 2019
5,086
This is very sad news. Unemployment sucks, and I hope all those who are affected land on their feet quickly.

I have larger concerns regarding Sony and their management at the moment, which I'm not surprised to see being dismissed by certain posters in this thread when raised by others. Nevertheless, in this case j do suspect that this is just unfortunate timing in terms of coming around the same time as PS5 news.

Detective said:
In other news,

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Are you high? How is this comparable?
 
ArjanN

ArjanN

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,093
Reminds me of that old Microsoft comic:

MTIyMzAzMjQ0NzEzMDk0NDI1.png
 
pswii60

pswii60

Member
Oct 27, 2017
26,645
The Milky Way
gofreak said:
This would be about opex, if it's about money at all... acquisitions are about capex.

I don't think it's about expenses though - reorgs are not always about cost cutting.
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Acquisitions are capex and opex. Acquisitions increase opex after the acquisition, obviously. Because you're having to fund the ongoing costs of the new studio you've just bought, including all those new employees salaries.
 
DailyCalmSpirit

DailyCalmSpirit

Banned
May 17, 2018
3,454
SpaceCrystal said:
This is what happens when Sony decides to move their main gaming business from Japan to California back in 2016 & decides their gaming business to cater to being "all about America".

Makes me glad that Nintendo isn't backing out of Japan & is still catering to all gamers of all nationalities.
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lol, what is this?

2017: Gran Turismo Sport, Hatsune Miku, Gravity Rush 2, Tales of Berseria, Yakuza 0, Digimon, Nioh, Nier Automata, Persona 5
2018: Dissidia NT, Yakuza 6, Yakuza Kiwami 2, Ni No Kuni 2, Deracine, Astro Bot, Fist of the North Star
2019: Death Stranding, Shenmue 3, Sakura Wars, Everybody's Golf VR, Judgment, Trails of Cold Steel 3, Zanki Zero

Are these games "all about America?"
 
SpaceCrystal

SpaceCrystal

Banned
Apr 1, 2019
7,714
DailyCalmSpirit said:
lol, what is this?

2017: Gran Turismo Sport, Hatsune Miku, Gravity Rush 2, Tales of Berseria, Yakuza 0, Digimon, Nioh, Nier Automata, Persona 5
2018: Dissidia NT, Yakuza 6, Yakuza Kiwami 2, Ni No Kuni 2, Deracine, Astro Bot, Fist of the North Star
2019: Death Stranding, Shenmue 3, Sakura Wars, Everybody's Golf VR, Judgment, Trails of Cold Steel 3, Zanki Zero

Are these games "all about America?"
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I edited my post to clarify. Never said that those games were all about America; I was referring to their decision makings, etc. Plus most of those games that you mentioned are 3rd party.

They're slowly starting to become Americanized, if they haven't already. Pay attention.
 
Terror-Billy

Terror-Billy

Chicken Chaser
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
2,460
DailyCalmSpirit said:
lol, what is this?

2017: Gran Turismo Sport, Hatsune Miku, Gravity Rush 2, Tales of Berseria, Yakuza 0, Digimon, Nioh, Nier Automata, Persona 5
2018: Dissidia NT, Yakuza 6, Yakuza Kiwami 2, Ni No Kuni 2, Deracine, Astro Bot, Fist of the North Star
2019: Death Stranding, Shenmue 3, Sakura Wars, Everybody's Golf VR, Judgment, Trails of Cold Steel 3, Zanki Zero

Are these games "all about America?"
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Why are you including multiplatform games not from Sony?
 
Gamer17

Gamer17

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
9,399
That's sad . Hope they find job quickly . Sony did the same thing in 2012 . If I remember correctly the replaced something like 10,000 employees at that time . It's their strategy I guess before they launch a new console
 
Xando

Xando

Member
Oct 28, 2017
27,233
Sonys strength has always been strong regional support. Americans taking over is not good.
 
Kuro

Kuro

Member
Oct 25, 2017
20,531
The reading comprehension in this thread is dire.

I hope everyone who was fired find jobs soon.
 
Stinkinmushroom

Stinkinmushroom

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
4,708
Not sure why people think they try to hide stuff behind PS5 news. People can read 2 articles in a day... not sure i get it.
October is just that month where the fiscal year hits and the laying offs can be paid etc. Shawn Layden was just the beginning of that restructuring. I hope those people can find new jobs soon.

Theres been restructuring since begin October at my work too... i'm kinda used to it every October now to see changes. I've been lucky so far lol
 

Deleted member 21709

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23,310
ZSJ said:
If you don't think these studios deserved to be shutdown I have an investment opportunity for you. All those studios and not one single hit lol
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Psygnosis/Studio Liverpool: Wipeout, Formula One
Zipper: Socom
Incognito: Twisted Metal Black
Evolution: Driveclub, MotorStorm
Guerrilla Cambridge: Killzone Mercenary (not a million seller, but... the studio died because Sony failed at launching the Vita)
 

mr teaspoon

Banned
Feb 22, 2018
178
DavidDesu said:
Please god no. This is my immediate concern. Europe is classy, has taste. America is Xbox. Yeah that's a bit reductive but it's not far from the truth. I don't trust the brand being led from America.
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Ha ha ha, the irony. 'Europe is classy, America is Xbox' sounds like the opinion of a man with a solid gold toilet.
 
Penny Royal

Penny Royal

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
4,158
QLD, Australia
So do we know of any of the regional EMEA offices are closing?

If they aren't then I think the fears about local 'tone' in marketing efforts are misplaced.

But without knowing which roles are affected it's very hard to say how this will impact overall operations - don't forget, these are job losses from an operational rather than development division (they're also the kind of jobs that are - and what it means for EMEA messaging. I still think you'll see stuff like the Spanish Fathers' Day GoW happen, there'll just be a different approval process.

Also - burying bad news isn't a conspiracy it's a fairly standard PR tactic, and these redundancies would've been planned probably from the start of the FY and been built into budgets (specific role losses would've been in micro planning since the FY started)...altho equally it speaks to the gap in comms between the regions that the planned redundancies happen on the same day as the Wired article so that even if not intentional the optics aren't great.

Just to clarify too, game dev sign-off is the responsibility of WWS, not the marketing teams, so that process shouldn't be impacted by this news.
 
Jarod McChicken

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Oct 27, 2017
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One thing is sure though, SIEE probably have nothing to say in the PlayStation Plus lineup. Because no offense to our numerous US friends who enjoy this sport, but you have to be a very very strange european leader to think about giving MLB The Show in one of those two precious monthly spots ^^'
 
Jeffram

Jeffram

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Oct 29, 2017
3,924
Interesting that Jim Ryan is cleaning house in Europe, you'd think it'd be the other way around. Hopefully not too many people are impacted.
 
PlanetSmasher

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Oct 25, 2017
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Huh. The stuff last week definitely felt like Sony Europe was taking more of a power role in the organization but I guess the exact opposite thing happened.

I really don't care about Sony Europe's output at all, but it sucks that people are losing their jobs regardless of how I feel about the things they make. This reshuffling really feels puzzling - it feels like Sony is shifting from a global business to a very America-focused business which is kind of the exact goddamn opposite of what they need to be. They need to serve their userbases in all three regions - they're not XBOX, they can't just survive solely by catering to America. Japan and Europe are both critical.
 
Yearsoflurking

Yearsoflurking

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Nov 11, 2017
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Seems to confirm the prior sources article sounds like shawn layden was an redundancy fired/lay'd off for Jim Ryan and company to take over completely in Americas
 
HardRojo

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Oct 25, 2017
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Splader said:
How does this relate to the thread?
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Gotta balance out bad Sony news with Microsoft... news? It's a really stupid comparison too, but I'm sure the user knew that when posting that tweet.

Anyway, I hope the layoffs are kept to a minimum. Being reinterviewed for your current position sounds terrible.
 
Papacheeks

Papacheeks

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It does suck people losing their jobs but Microsoft closed a whole bunch of shit this gen. Including or firm in UK or Europe can't remember.

It's just Sony now is restructuring. Hope people land on their feet.
 

Deleted member 5028

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PlanetSmasher said:
Huh. The stuff last week definitely felt like Sony Europe was taking more of a power role in the organization but I guess the exact opposite thing happened.

I really don't care about Sony Europe's output at all, but it sucks that people are losing their jobs regardless of how I feel about the things they make. This reshuffling really feels puzzling - it feels like Sony is shifting from a global business to a very America-focused business which is kind of the exact goddamn opposite of what they need to be. They need to serve their userbases in all three regions - they're not XBOX, they can't just survive solely by catering to America. Japan and Europe are both critical.
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Maybe they feel they have those other regions locked in so why bother?
 
Zok310

Zok310

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Oct 25, 2017
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Terrible getting let go at a job this late in the year.
Hope they find work quick.
 
SixelAlexiS

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Oct 27, 2017
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Sorry to hear this... btw US shouldn't be at charge of the whole PlayStation division, this sounds wrong... PS have a JP and EU soul :'(
 
Soap

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Xando said:
Sonys strength has always been strong regional support. Americans taking over is not good.
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Agreed, especially in Europe. One of the reasons the PS3 was able to come back was because Sony Europe got their shit together whereas MS had no idea how to handle that market.
 
Pankratous

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Oct 26, 2017
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Redundancies and restructuring is the reality of working in a large company even when business is doing well. I'm not sure why this needs a thread. Plenty of companies letting people go all the time.

That said, I hope everyone finds a new job easily.
 

IamFlying

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Apr 6, 2019
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The Sony news in the last few weeks are all very disappointing. Instead on focusing on PS5 there seem to be internal power fights and confusion.
 
F4r0_Atak

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mreddie said:
So who's left in the SIEE crew? Guerilla and MM right?
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Don't forget London Studios (who just recently released Blood and Truth) and the Manchester Studio they built a few years ago for a "major" VR game. Let's not forget also XDEV, who like Japan Studio, help 3rd party studios with PS exclusives development. They are not a production company. They act more as support.
 

Deleted member 54073

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IamFlying said:
The Sony news in the last few weeks are all very disappointing. Instead on focusing on PS5 there seem to be internal power fights and confusion.
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The only confusion is coming from us and the media who aren't privvy to the facts. I imagine Sony know exactly what they are doing which is why you're seeing this news.
 
legend166

legend166

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Oct 25, 2017
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I would say the biggest strength of the Playstation brand since its inception has been its ability to not be unnecessarily focused on one market over another. Shifting control to a single branch seems like not such a great idea.
 
Midas

Midas

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Oct 27, 2017
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Sad for people getting fired, but the good work they've been doing for Sony will surely make them land a new job. At least I hope so.

Let's hope the consolidation Sony seems to be doing serve them well. They plan for it at least, it's not like they're doing changes like this for fun. :lol
 
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