This week, PlayStation’s Visual Arts studio has experienced layoffs, impacting several employees in San Diego. The studio is known for its collaborations with Naughty Dog and other first-party game developers, and the affected employees were informed that March 7 would be their final day in the office.

The exact number of employees affected remains unclear. These layoffs follow Sony’s recent cancellation of the game Concord and a restructuring of its upper management. Additionally, Visual Arts had been working on a live-service game project with Bend Studio, which has also been canceled.

A former project manager shared her feelings on LinkedIn, expressing sadness over the situation and highlighting the strong community within the studio. This news has been particularly challenging for many colleagues. The gaming industry is currently facing broader difficulties, with significant layoffs reported at other studios:

• NetEase has closed its U.S. office, affecting teams working on Marvel Rivals.
• BioWare has cut its workforce by more than 50%.

📎 Related coverage from: gaming.news