Unity to Cut Down 256 Jobs, Weta Division Included
In what is the latest wave in a long series of layoffs affecting several tech companies, gaming software developer Unity Software is reportedly preparing to cut down on its workforce, a move explained as part of a company-wide “reset” which will cost 265 jobs, or around 3.8% of Unity’s total workforce.
The mass layoffs follow just months after the company recently attempted to impose a new pricing policy, which was intended to charge additional fees to game developers using Unity’s software – essentially, developers were required to pay each time their Unity-powered game was downloaded. This decision was met with much backlash however, prompting the company to undo its plans.
Going back to the upcoming layoffs, the move also includes the termination of professional services provided by visual effects company Weta FX. Founded by film director Peter Jackson, Weta’s VFX tools development division was purchased by Unity back in 2021 for around $1.625 billion.
With that being said, Unity isn’t the only big name to reduce its workforce in recent months – back in October, industry giants Nokia and Qualcomm likewise axed around 14,000 and 1,200 jobs respectively, in an effort to cut down on financial losses.
Source: Reuters