But now it seems Jim Ryan, the guy in charge of Europe, is now in charge so its a bit early to be calling it a mistake.
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Layoffs hit Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe
- Thread starter Deleted member 31092
- Start date
The feeling of the Americans wresting control is extremely off putting for me as a European who likes Japanese games.
And it's one that's been going on for a while.
I don't want there to be 2 US consoles.
And it's one that's been going on for a while.
I don't want there to be 2 US consoles.
It's not disgusting, they had 2 completely independent marketing departments which was wasteful and a nightmare to manage. Publishers didn't even like it.
So some people got made redundant.
Sounds like some publishers/developers were running into issues with "too many cooks in the kitchen", based on the posted article. The changes are likely about streamlining and removing inefficient/costly redundancy.
Yep, Sony is doing gangbuster business. At least transfer them out to different positions.
Terrible take there, champ. I'm not twelve, and don't have a "favorite brand" of plastic toys.
As I said, It's awful being laid off during a re-org, but it's dozens of employees out of thousands. It could be worse.
Others may not be publicly posting about it. He used that tweet as evidence of layoffs in America as well. Focus is on larger layoffs in SCEE.
I'd really rather have Sony JP do all the work here. This is pretty annoying to see the company basically ruin the lifes of the other regions because they can.
He's saying the timing means jack shit. And it's true.
It absolutely sucks that people are losing their jobs. But you don't need PR to hide dozens of jobs being lost due to restructuring.
How absolutely absurd.
This feels like one of those things where depending on how upcoming Playstation events go (most importantly the launch of Playstation 5), it will either be looked back on/waved off as business being business, or it will be seen as an early sign of some slight troubles to come. There's a lot of smoke around what may or may not be going on behind-the-scenes (from insiders partially), but honestly I don't think any judgement should be made until we get more information. We don't really know if this will have a positive or negative affect on the business. All that we know right now is the obvious: losing jobs suck. I hope people get back up on their feet.
I will say as an outsider looking in, it seems really odd to have layoffs in a portion of their business that seems almost as successful/big as their American branch. Don't they also have a much bigger lead in Europe than in the Americas, where the three console manufacturers are much closer to each other? But this is coming from a rather uneducated perspective.
I will say as an outsider looking in, it seems really odd to have layoffs in a portion of their business that seems almost as successful/big as their American branch. Don't they also have a much bigger lead in Europe than in the Americas, where the three console manufacturers are much closer to each other? But this is coming from a rather uneducated perspective.
your post is pretty much as i've been saying most of this gen, because they came out on top this gen with PS4 they've been more or less ego tripping and forcing devs into unfortunate positions like we've seen with the PS2onPS4, because every game needs trophies we're pretty limited on what PS2 games we got which more or less looks like it's dead and won't be getting anything else but once again Japan loses in this as well bcause i don't think they ever launched it there whereas last gen they had nearly 800 PS1 classics on the store in Japan alone, i think US and EU were close to 300-400 maybe
Why would you continue to pay $10m+ a year for the services of people you do not need?
Your attitude is baffling. Do you know what redundant means?
Just checked that out. They posted a position for a Senior Silicon Performance Architect today.
https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/job/720074/Sr-Silicon-Performance-Architect
This lines up with the recent reports of internal conflicts at Sony, although it's also really shitty that PS5 news dropped the same day.
I know that "redundant" is something that can be argued, especially if a company decides that employees are redundant. But anyway, let's hope people land on their feet, that's the only interesting thing right now anyway.
Still crazy for me to think this given how much the PS3 struggled with the Xbox 360 and Wii taking Sony's momentum in the crucial years of last gen. Europe always remained PlayStationland because of the brand strength there, so for SIEA to take the main stage speaks volumes of the success of the PS4's hardware and first party software sales from the studios here.
I am just now realizing that most of Sony's AAA studios are in the US. They could really use another AAA European studio
The guy calling the shots is an old Sony Europe guy though
Perhaps it's only a coincidence but to me it's also a slap in the face of the people being laid off while Sony is talking about the future of Playstation.
This is me and I'm an American. At least there is still Nintendo.
Jim Ryan is now the top guy at SIE.
He was very influential in cementing PlayStation's dominance in Europe and emerging markets. Even making a success of PS3.
It makes sense to streamline departments like marketing and licensing. Given the global nature of the videogame market. Ryan will bring the tough, combative, approach to SIE he had over here. By all accounts a few SIEE staff have gone over to the US.
Good luck to those looking for employment.
He was very influential in cementing PlayStation's dominance in Europe and emerging markets. Even making a success of PS3.
It makes sense to streamline departments like marketing and licensing. Given the global nature of the videogame market. Ryan will bring the tough, combative, approach to SIE he had over here. By all accounts a few SIEE staff have gone over to the US.
Good luck to those looking for employment.
Sure, the timing is shitty.
But it's coincidental. And the focus should be on the folks that lost their jobs. Not how Sony possibly turned into a company playing 4D chess overnight.
As an old school SEGA fan? I'm starting to get some pretty harrowing flashbacks to the old SOJ vs SOA/SOE days...
This sums my feelings up as well. PlayStation keeps alienating me practically ever since the failed Vita... Few highs are drowned out by many lows overall.
I know that they're objectively doing well, but they're about to lose me personally as a customer.
Layoffs ? Isn't the company like really profitable ? Isn't PS4 selling "like a beast" ? Aren't those PS+ subscriptions raking a load of cash ?
Why are they laying people off ?
Why are they laying people off ?
Really don't like this. One reason Playstation is so popular in Europe is that they did their own thing here. Please don't Americanise the whole thing...
When you prep for any new product launch you look at your current pipeline and identify weaknesses and areas to improve. It's very common for companies raking in loads of money to lay people off like this. Doesn't make it any less sucky, but sometimes people just aren't in the plan for the future.
I hope everyone that was laid off finds new jobs quickly that they are more than happy with! I know what they are going through and it is never an easy time.
I mean shouldn't that count for you as well if it's bothering you so much?
Imagine being a company with a strong world wide presence and over generations established yourself as the console for every game and every player ... and then go and put the US branch in sole charge and since they moved the HQ it just seems weird or bad news one after another.
Feels like Playstation is losing the identity that made it the favorite for many
100% this
much rather have the Jp branch in control with the individual regions doing their own thing a bit. Playststion becoming an American console does not sit right with me
Feels like Playstation is losing the identity that made it the favorite for many
100% this
much rather have the Jp branch in control with the individual regions doing their own thing a bit. Playststion becoming an American console does not sit right with me
This. Also, I think that any kind of talk of any extreme unifying is jumping to conclusions since Jim Ryan would certainly be someone to know that the markets are very different and the need to take that into account. Staffing and location changes likely began ever since the process started with the HQ being moved, but that doesn't mean they're going to end up unifying.
Hope anyone that lost their job lands on their feet and is able to find another they like as quickly as possible.
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Because they want to make even more money? Sometimes companies gets too bloated for their own good, or more likely they are restructuring for the launch of the PS5.
What changed precisely since they moved the HQ to the US? I'm curious.
Seems like mostly the same Sony as ever, just with bigger hits.
TBH, it's more likely to take on more of the look of SIEE with Jim Ryan in charge. Obviously he's only one man. But clearly what he says goes. Especially with Layden now out of the picture.
I think we're in a whole different conversation, so again, don't take it so personal