Epic Games recently announced the layoff of over 1,000 employees, a decision that also led to the discontinuation of three Fortnite game modes. CEO Tim Sweeney attributed these significant changes to a “decline in Fortnite engagement,” along with broader “industry-wide challenges” and factors “unique to Epic.”
Following the restructuring, Sweeney has proactively encouraged employers and recruitment managers to seek out the résumés of the affected individuals.
What the Epic Games CEO Said
In a public statement, Sweeney conveyed his expectation that “employers will soon be deluged with résumés from exceptionally high-quality candidates.”
He further clarified, “It’s important to understand that Epic never lowered its hiring standards as the company grew, and these layoffs were not a ‘performance-based’ reduction, as is often defined by companies today.”
Sweeney concluded by asserting, “Anyone indicating they worked for Epic Games on their résumé is highly likely to be among the select few top professionals in the industry.” While this gesture is clearly intended to support former employees in their job search, it carries a bittersweet undertone, coming in the wake of such a massive workforce reduction. It was also noted that the artist behind Jonesy, one of Fortnite’s most iconic characters, was among those laid off.