Home Gaming Activision lays off staff, promises few licenced games

Activision lays off staff, promises few licenced games

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chicken

Despite making ton of money last year, Activision has cut a number of jobs across its studios in a cost-cutting exercise the company says is to “align its costs with its revenues.” Among the affected studios is Treyarch, resposible for last year’s money-printing Black Ops 2.

Here’s Activision’s statement (via Kotaku)

"Like any successful business, Activision Publishing consistently works to align its costs with its revenues—this is an ongoing process. In 2013, we expect to release fewer games based on license properties and as a result are realigning our structure to better reflect the market opportunities and our slate. Approximately, 30 full-time employees have been impacted globally, which represents approximately one half of one percent of Activision Blizzard’s employee population. We are offering those employees who are impacted outplacement counseling services."

While it sucks that people have had to lose their jobs, I think the focus on fewer licenced games is a good thing; the last bunch – titles like 007 Legends and Family Guy: Back to the Multiverse – have been absolute stinkers. That doesn’t mean we won’t see any licenced games from Activision this year; they’ve got a Walking Dead FPS on the way, a Deadpool game and another TMNT reboot.

The more surprising thing is that Treyarch is being affected. The company says that "Now that we have launched Black Op II, we are taking a minimal reduction in staff to better align our development talent against the needs of DLC development. The release of the DLC will not be impacted by this move."

As long as they keep the guy who knows how to copy and paste, everything’s going to be just fine.

Last Updated: February 20, 2013

31 Comments

  1. Trevor Davies

    February 20, 2013 at 14:03

    Love the last line lol

    Reply

  2. Banana Jim

    February 20, 2013 at 14:04

    Bobby Kotick swims in cash, but it’s still toodle-doo serfs.

    A note found in Bobby Kotick’s pocket reads “Thanks for filling my pockets you dumbass swine. Let that be a lesson for you; study business science and get a MBA from a shitty fly-by-night university rather than a computer science degree from MIT, bitches”.

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief Erwin

      February 20, 2013 at 14:36

      *sigh* So true 🙁

      Reply

    • Admiral Chief Erwin

      February 20, 2013 at 14:36

      *sigh* So true 🙁

      Reply

    • Admiral Chief Erwin

      February 20, 2013 at 14:36

      *sigh* So true 🙁

      Reply

    • Admiral Chief Erwin

      February 20, 2013 at 14:36

      *sigh* So true 🙁

      Reply

  3. Anon A Mouse

    February 20, 2013 at 14:21

    CTRL+C; CTRL+V. May I have the job now?

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief Erwin

      February 20, 2013 at 14:32

      Your CV can read as follow:

      Name: Mouse, Anon A
      Qualifications: CTRL+C, CTRL+V

      [calculating applicant score]
      [please wait]
      [……]

      RESULT:

      Supremely qualified for CoD franchise, employ IMMEDIATELY

      Reply

      • Wtf101

        February 20, 2013 at 14:36

        I disagree. The fact that he knows the shortcut keys makes him overqualified

        Reply

      • Wtf101

        February 20, 2013 at 14:36

        I disagree. The fact that he knows the shortcut keys makes him overqualified

        Reply

      • Wtf101

        February 20, 2013 at 14:36

        I disagree. The fact that he knows the shortcut keys makes him overqualified

        Reply

      • Wtf101

        February 20, 2013 at 14:36

        I disagree. The fact that he knows the shortcut keys makes him overqualified

        Reply

        • Admiral Chief Erwin

          February 20, 2013 at 14:38

          CEO then?

          Reply

          • Banana Jim

            February 20, 2013 at 15:21

            To become management, you should have zero technical knowledge.

            So, the fact that he knows about CTRL+C, CTRL+V immediately disqualifies him. Now had he thrown in superfluous management speak, like synergy, strategy, adoption curve, urban regeneration etc. that would mean instant CEO!!

          • Anon A Mouse

            February 20, 2013 at 15:46

            You mean by thinking outside of the box and hiring executive consultants to advise me on a fast track strategy, to implement in the current strained budgetary confinements, on how to effectively implement a search criteria for the obtainment, by my understudy, of the effective use of the copy and paste model, in order to further reduce the emission of harmful gases, in order to assist in further capitalizing on the CoD model that will in the long run produce a far more effective adoption curve by the co-workers and also the other companies in the industry to further help in the urban regeneration that we so desperately need at this time was not the correct path to full time employment at this juncture in my life?

            Then I’m glad I did not show you I also know how to do DLC. (CTRL+A, CTRL+C, CTRL+V)

          • Banana Jim

            February 20, 2013 at 15:48

            Give this man a CEO position STAT!

          • Admiral Chief Erwin

            February 20, 2013 at 15:59

            My brain, its hurting of all the garbage….aaaaahhhhhh.

            *runs off to do technical things*

          • HvR

            February 20, 2013 at 18:07

            Don’t forget KPA’s or my personal favorites (from an argument with Sales Executive):
            “Why does it take a 3 week cycle who just make it and pop it in”
            “I don’t need Engineers to make this company profitable I just need a product to sell”
            “I’m like Steve Jobs I do not sell products I sell ideals” WTF???

            Company bankrupt 11 months later……. to his defense the ideals equity did take dive around that time.

    • Sir Captain Rincethis

      February 20, 2013 at 15:25

      HIRED!

      Reply

  4. Tbone187

    February 20, 2013 at 14:21

    The Modern Warfare series is far superior to Black ops in terms of look n feel so I’m not sure where this copy n paste issues arise from really…

    Reply

    • JHN

      February 20, 2013 at 15:39

      You must be indoctrinated.

      Reply

      • Tbone187

        February 20, 2013 at 16:12

        Haha!! Everyone’s an intellectual online indeed …I can agree tho, Yes , I am. Luckily for me it was along a humble yet informed path…

        Reply

  5. Admiral Chief Erwin

    February 20, 2013 at 14:21

    Copy paste punchline = utter brilliance!

    Reply

    • Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew

      February 20, 2013 at 14:28

      agreed. Had a good old giggle with that

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief Erwin

        February 20, 2013 at 14:30

        Man, that dude must have a knighthood at Activision.

        “All hail Sir-Copy-Paste”

        Reply

        • Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew

          February 20, 2013 at 14:30

          Whahahahahahaha

          Reply

        • Brady miaau

          February 20, 2013 at 15:18

          the fastest way to replicate errors, i.e. bugs

          Reply

  6. Lardus

    February 20, 2013 at 14:46

    Gee guys, thanks for making all this money for us. Now, please leave the building so we can make even more!

    Reply

  7. Sir Captain Rincethis

    February 20, 2013 at 14:56

    These bastards never cease to amaze. They have more money than God and Jobs put together (Jobs isn’t dead, he’s just hiding from the Taxman of the Apocalypse, the lesser known, and least liked of the other 4) and yet they cut people? Shesh. Hard times for poor EA…

    Reply

  8. mornelithe

    February 20, 2013 at 16:40

    Translation – It’s impossible to continue posting the profits that this company has enjoyed for several IP, so we’re downsizing employees in order to continue boosting shareholder profits, because that’s all that matters.

    Reply

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