TITLE
The Bittersweet Feeling Of Seeing Your Game Revealed After Getting Laid Off
AUTHOR
Nathan Grayson
PUBLICATION
Aftermath
YEAR
2024
ARTICLE TYPE
Article
FROM THE ARTICLE
Going into this year’s Summer Game Fest, the vibes were rancid. Over 10,000 game developers have been laid off since the start of 2024, more than in all of 2023. How, with such a dark cloud hanging over the industry, do you strike up the band and roll out the annual hype parade? Geoff Keighley did it with a smile – or at least an unnerving rictus grin. Laid-off game developers watching along at home had a much harder time, especially as their own work appeared on screen.Nearly half the companies involved with Keighley’s flagship show this year suffered layoffs of some kind, while adjacent showcases like Microsoft’s were haunted by the specter of historically brutal cuts. Even surprises – like a tease of Destiny 2’s future following its exceedingly well-received The Final Shape expansion – were colored by this unfortunate trend. Developers who worked on many of the projects shown were forced to confront uncomfortable, bittersweet emotions as their work was celebrated by fans and companies alike.
COMPANIES MENTIONED
Blizzard
Bungie
Deck Nine
Microsoft
Phoenix Labs
GAMES MENTIONED
Destiny 2
Diablo IV
Gears of War: E-Day
Life Is Strange: Double Exposure
PEOPLE MENTIONED
Uriah Belletto
Nicholas Kole
Shayna Moon
TOPICS MENTIONED
Business