Insomnia Game Festival organizer Player1 Events hit with layoffs

It has been reported that an unspecified number of employees at Player1 Events, best known for organizing the UK-based Insomnia Gaming Festival, have been laid off. It is also claimed that some contractors have not received payment for their work at the most recent event.

The details:

• As reported by Esports News UK, former employees at the company have confirmed they have been laid off, with many posting messages on social media. Those affected include marketing and brand manager Phil Crawford, event coordinator Rachel Dickinson, and partnerships coordinator Tashnarr after years of working at Player1.

• Freelance and contract staff who worked at Insomnia 72, which took place in March, have also claimed that the company has yet to pay them. This includes content creators Nathy B and Josh Strife Hayes, esports organization Into the Breach, and others who have chosen to remain anonymous. According to ITB CEO Sam Cook, the organization is currently owed £10,000 for a tournament held during the event.

• The layoffs and delayed payments have called the event's future into question, particularly Insomnia 73, which is set to take place in September alongside RuneFest and the SuperDome esports event. Player1 and its parent company, Supernova Capital, have yet to comment on the situation.

Other recent layoffs:

• Following a 10% reduction in its workforce in January, Lords of the Fallen publisher CI Games has laid off another 30 employees.

• Square Enix intends to lay off an unspecified number of employees over the next month, affecting employees in Europe and the US.