Fortnite developers warn recent mass layoffs at Epic will have lasting impact on the game

Remaining Fortnite developers at Epic have warned that the company’s latest wave of layoffs will have long-lasting consequences for the game going forward, saying teams will “have to pick up the pieces” after more than 1,000 colleagues lost their jobs.

The details:

• Epic announced this week that it was laying off over 1,000 employees as part of cost-cutting measures that aim to save the company over $500 million USD. CEO Tim Sweeney blamed the decision on a “downturn in Fortnite engagement” over the past year, adding that Epic was “spending significantly more than we’re making.”
• Following the announcement, Fortnite gameplay producer Robby Williams took to X to comment on the cuts. He described the layoffs as “a brutal day at Epic” and said “what comes next is very hard and painful,” both for those who lost their jobs and those that remain working on the game with fewer resources than before. 

• Among those confirmed to have been laid off by Epic include several major contributors to Fortnite, such as design director Christopher Pope, principal engineer Evan Kinney, lead writer Nik Blahunka, and Rocket League community manager Devin Connors. Character art director Vitaliy Naymushin, who was behind iconic characters such as Fortnite’s mascot Jonesy, was also let go.