Sony to cut about 900 jobs in its PlayStation unit as layoffs in technology, gaming sector continue

Sony's cuts will be worldwide, including Asia-Pacific. Photo / AP

Sony will cut about 900 jobs in its PlayStation division, or about 8 per cent of its global workforce, becoming the latest company in the technology and gaming sector to announce layoffs.

Sony cited changes in the industry as a reason for the restructuring.

“The industry has changed immensely, and we need to future-ready ourselves to set the business up for what lies ahead,” Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan said in a blog post. “We need to deliver on expectations from developers and gamers and continue to propel future technology in gaming, so we took a step back to ensure we are set up to continue bringing the best gaming experiences to the community.”

The layoffs Tarrive one month after Microsoft said it would cut nearly 2000 workers after its acquisition of Activision Blizzard. And Riot Games, the developer of the popular “League of Legends” multiplayer battle game, said in January that it was laying off 11 per cent of its staff, while Unity - the US gaming company that bought Sir Peter Jackson’s Weta Digital - laid off 265 in November.

The Sony job cuts will occur in the Americas, Japan, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Asia Pacific region.

In London, the PlayStation Studio will completely close. Cuts will also be made at Firesprite studio. In addition, reductions will take place in various functions across Sony Interactive Entertainment in the UK, the company said.

Severance benefits will be provided to those employees who are impacted.

“While these are challenging times, it is not indicative of a lack of strength of our company, our brand, or our industry,” Ryan said. “Our goal is to remain agile and adaptable and to continue to focus on delivering the best gaming experiences possible now and in the future.”

With reporting by Herald staff.