Former PlayStation boss believes that corporate greed is not to blame for layoffs, and that those affected should "drive an Uber"

by Danny Craig  · 
Former PlayStation boss believes that corporate greed is not to blame for layoffs, and that those affected should "drive an Uber"
Sony

Chris Deering, former president of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, has stated that he believes corporate greed is not the cause of the ongoing industry-wide layoffs, and that anyone affected should "drive an Uber" or "go to the beach for a year" while they look for a new job.

The details:

  • Speaking with Simon Parkin on the My Perfect Console podcast, Deering shared his controversial thoughts on the gaming industry's mass layoffs over the last few years. "I don't think it's fair to say that the resulting layoffs have been greed," said Deering. "I always tried to minimize the speed with which we added staff because I always knew there would be a cycle and I didn't want to end up having the same problems that Sony did in Electronics."

  • The former president also touched on the closure of London Studio and major layoffs at PlayStation earlier this year, explaining that "if the money isn't coming in from the consumers on the last game, it's going to be hard to justify spending the money on the next game."

  • He went on to say that, while he believes it is "very painful for the managers," he does not believe that having the skill set of a game developer will result in a "lifetime of poverty or limitation" and that it is "still where the action is." He considers himself "optimistic" about the future of the industry, and believes that with a "decent severance package," life will likely return to normal for those affected by the time it dries up.

  • As for what those affected by layoffs can do after losing their position, Deering suggests that they may "have to take a few... figure out how to get through it," and "drive an Uber or whatever, go off to find a cheap place to live and go to the beach for a year."

  • Many have labeled Deering's comments as out of touch, especially considering that tens of thousands of jobs have been lost in 2023 and 2024 while executives continue to receive salary increases and bonuses. Some, such as Obsidian design director Josh Sawyer, joked, "If laid off, I would simply vibe on the beach for a year," making fun of the absurdity of the comment, while others took great offense, calling Deering and those with similar mindsets "vile" and "evil."

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