Activision Blizzard Admits Firing Game Developers Might Hurt Games Business

A few weeks ago, Activision Blizzard announced they would be firing 8% of its staff, amounting to around 800 people. The move was decried across the games industry press particularly because it coincided with the publisher’s proud announcement that they had achieved record profits.

Today, in the publisher’s latest SEC filing, spotted by PCGamesInsider.biz, the company stated on record that these firings will not guarantee it will be “more efficient or effective” than before. It also argues that many factors could negate the intended savings. In effect, the publisher is covering its butt before its shareholders by saying there’s a chance the firings may not achieve the intended value.

The reason? Well, in Activision Blizzard’s own words: “This restructuring plan may also be costly and disruptive to our business or have other negative consequences, such as attrition beyond our planned reduction in workforce or negative impacts on employee morale and productivity, or on our ability to attract and retain highly skilled employees. Any of these consequences could negatively impact our business."

Simply put, in its own SEC filing, Activision Blizzard admits that firing game developers to cut costs might hurt their ability to make games. Imagine that: a company in the business of publishing games just admitted that losing game developers might hurt their ability to make games.

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