The video game development community in Vancouver continues to be rocked by major job losses. Just today, Propaganda Games, which is owned by Disney, laid off a significant amount of people. While that was happening, fifty-five people at nearby EA Canada got their walking papers today as well.
It’s been a stunning week of developments for anyone who makes video games in the Vancouver area. Starting with the 100+ people out of work last week from the action at Black Box, then the complete closure of Humanature which affected about ninety, and then today’s events, I conservatively place close to 300 hundred developers are now unemployed in the city. It is my opinion that the job market never fully placed all the people from the massive layoffs at Radical months ago and now to have all these people join them makes for a dire situation.
On a personal note, two of my most loyal blog readers were among those who got laid off today. Out of respect for them, I will not identify either party. I will say I was extremely disappointed to hear that news. Please know that if there is anything I can do for either of you, do not hesitate to get in touch with me.
I will admit these events make me extremely nervous. The development community is very close-knit in Vancouver and it’s been tough to concentrate at work lately when people you know are reporting layoffs on what seems to be a daily basis.
I said it before but I will say it again, please let this be the end of it for a long, long while.