NCSoft West has laid off approximately 20 percent of its staff amidst a corporation-wide realignment, reports Venturebeat.
“We can confirm that we laid off approximately 20% of NC West’s workforce today, primarily affecting non-game development positions, as part of a global realignment with our corporate headquarters in Korea. The affected employees have been given severance and access to resources to help with job placement,” stated the company.
Alongside the layoffs, it was announced that NCSoft West CEO Jeff Anderson had likewise left the company.
“Jeff decided that his time at NC had come to a conclusion, and we appreciate his efforts with us.”
At the moment, exact details are sparse. For example, there is no information on whether Anderson’s split with the company was amicable. Additionally, while the company have made clear that the majority of positions aren’t in game development roles, they haven’t announced which roles have been cut.
Is this an industry trend?
It’s worth noting that many mobile game makers have laid off staff in the last few months, as companies struggle to rebound following a period of contraction, including Electronic Arts and Tilting Point this week alone. While there was a notable boom in the industry during the pandemic, the market has normalised, and this has couple with global factors such as recession, the war in Ukraine, and regulatory changes in the world’s biggest mobile-first market, China.
While mobile gaming isn’t at risk of losing its position as market leader, companies worldwide are attempting to maintain profitability but cutting staff, cancelling games, or even shuttering studios entirely.
Anderson first joined NCSoft West in July 2021, bringing 30 years of leadership experience in the games industry to the role, having previously help executive positions at companies such as Electronic Arts, Turbine, and Hasbro.
We listed NCSoft as one of the top 50 mobile game makers of 2022.
