Amazon has announced a big cut in its gaming division workforce, affecting 180 jobs. This move aligns with a broader trend of layoffs within the gaming industry this year. The cuts are primarily in two segments: the Crown Twitch channel, set to be shut down, and the game growth teams. Christoph Hartman, VP of Amazon Games, conveyed this decision through an email to the employees, marking it as the division’s second round of layoffs in 2023.
In his email, Hartman acknowledged the difficulty of the decision. “I know this is difficult news and that the impact will be felt widely. It never feels good to say goodbye to colleagues,” he wrote. He emphasized that the decision was not made hastily but was a result of extensive planning and consideration of the company’s future direction. Hartman commended the teams for their work, notably the weekly content on Crown Channel and the Game Growth initiative to help publishers reach new audiences. However, he explained that a reassessment of business strategies necessitated a more focused allocation of resources towards delivering great games.
This development in Amazon’s gaming division is part of a larger pattern in the gaming industry, which has seen numerous layoffs this year. A notable example is Microsoft’s layoff of 10,000 employees in January, amidst its massive $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which was completed last month.