June 28, 2024 –GamesIndustry.biz reported on the 27th, in local time, that a significant number of employees from the Toronto studio of renowned mobile game developer Gameloft have been laid off, although the exact size of the studio has not been disclosed.
According to the report, only the human resources, information technology, and management teams remain unaffected by the layoffs. The popular game “Disney Magic Kingdoms,” launched by Gameloft in 2016, will be transferred to the company’s Kharkiv, Ukraine studio. It is reported that all Toronto-based employees involved in the development of this game, numbering approximately 49 individuals, have been laid off.
In addition, Tasha Huggins, the community manager at the Toronto studio, announced on LinkedIn that she had experienced her last day at Gameloft Toronto. She wrote, “From today onwards, many talented individuals will be entering the job market. If you are interviewing anyone from the Gameloft Toronto/Disney Magic Kingdoms team, please reach out to me. I would love the opportunity to discuss how exceptional they are.”
Records indicate that Gameloft Toronto had initiated layoffs twice this year, in February and April, resulting in the cancellation of another project the studio was developing.
In response to the layoffs, Gameloft stated that due to the current state of the gaming market, it was “necessary” to reduce the number of employees. The company explained, “As a business, we need to continuously review our production capabilities. After careful consideration, to address the evolving market conditions we face, it has become necessary to implement layoffs. Unfortunately, this has led to a significant reduction in production activities at our Toronto studio and the dismissal of some office staff. We did not make this decision lightly and understand the impact it may have on the affected employees. We will communicate with them individually to find the best solution for their situations.”
