A Activision Blizzardpopularly known for its iconic games such as the ‘Call of Duty’ and ‘Overwatch’ series, is currently facing a tense period.
The company, which has won the hearts of millions of gamers around the world, now finds itself facing significant challenges.
Recently, information shared by The Rotation revealed a delicate situation in the company, especially in the field of e-sports.
More than 80% of the teams responsible for the area, linked to the renowned games ‘Call of Duty League’ and ‘Overwatch League’, were abruptly shut down.
In practical terms, this translates into 60 employees involved in e-sports being laid off, out of a total of 72, resulting in only 12 professionals remaining in this area of the company.
Employees speak out after dismissal
Among the notable names on this list of dismissals is Matt Morello, who held the position of director of the ‘Overwatch League’. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) he mentioned the following:
“Unfortunately, today, along with many other amazing people in esports, I was let go from Blizzard. Choosing ‘Overwatch’ and working behind the scenes planning some of the best years we’ve had with ‘Overwatch Esports’ and next year with the new OWCS was a dream come true,” reveals Morello.
“I hope I can still stay involved with the ‘OW’ scene [Overwatch] in the future, but if anyone wants to talk about product, production, talent work, the email is in my biography <3″, concludes the fired professional.
In addition to him, Scott Parkin was also fired. He was responsible for being the senior operations manager for e-sports, Activision Blizzard and the teams running the cameras, providing the visual experience to viewers.
This scenario is reflected in the waves of layoffs announced by Microsoft, which announced plans to lay off around 1,900 employees in the coming months, covering several areas, including e-sports.
Other giants, such as Amazon, Epic Games and Sony Interactive Entertainment, are also laying off employees across sectors, a significant cut in personnel.
While fans eagerly await new releases and updates, behind the scenes reveal a complex picture of restructuring and adjustments in the dynamic world of gaming and esports.
