Unity Software, the maker of a cross-platform video game engine (Unity), is eliminating 4% of its staff, in a move that reflects a broad technology downsizing trend. The cuts amount to more than 200 of roughly 5,900 employees and represent a continuing process that reflects Unity’s long-term strategy, according to a statement from the company. Unity’s software provides the architecture for popular video games such as Pokémon Go and Call of Duty: Online and is used by developers including Activision Blizzard.
Despite its current round of layoffs, Unity is considered a growing company, allowing it to court executives from Amazon, Electronic Arts, and Uber Technologies, and to break into other media, such as film and television. The company has also attracted new investments based on the coming “metaverse,” which will likely be built using game engines like Unity’s. However, amid the economic downturn, several metaverse-related companies (like Meta Platforms) have dropped in value.
John Riccitiello, Chief Executive Officer of Unity, previously assured employees of their job security and downplayed rumors of layoffs—less than a month before announcing the downsizing.
