Activision Blizzard Inc. is set to lay off nearly 400 employees in its mobile gaming divisions in Santa Monica and Irvine following last year’s merger with Microsoft Corp. This comes on top of over 1,000 layoffs made in the past year across various locations in California. The layoffs will affect a wide range of positions including accountants, software engineers, and game designers.
Activision Blizzard spokeswoman Delay Simmons stated that the layoffs were part of previously announced reductions and that additional details could not be shared. The company has been making various cuts within its gaming divisions, including 1,900 layoffs in January and 650 earlier this month. The layoffs are expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Blizzard, known for hits like “World of Warcraft,” merged with Activision in 2007 and produces popular games like “Call of Duty” and “Candy Crush.” The layoffs also affect employees working on mobile versions of “Call of Duty: Warzone” and World of Warcraft, as well as a game based in Irvine that is experiencing sales difficulties.
The layoffs at studios in Santa Monica and Playa Vista will happen in waves, with the first round beginning in October. The filings with the Employment Development Department were made in accordance with the WARN Act, which requires employers to provide notice when laying off more than 50 employees.
The acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft was the largest in video game history, raising concerns about competition in the industry and facing regulatory scrutiny worldwide.
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