Unity to lay off 25% of its workforce

Unity has announced that it intends to lay off approximately 1,800 employees, or 25% of its current workforce.

The details:

• In its latest regulatory filing, the game engine developer stated that the significant reduction in its workforce is part of an ongoing restructuring as it "refocuses on its core business." The cuts are expected to be completed by March, with significant costs incurred due to severance payments and employee benefits for those impacted.

• This is Unity's fourth round of layoffs since the beginning of 2023, starting with its merger with IronSource, when 200 employees in duplicate positions were laid off. In May, 600 more employees were let go as the company sought to "position itself for long-term and profitable growth," and in November, 265 jobs were lost following the closure of Weta Digital as part of a "company reset."

• Unity has had a difficult year overall, with its "Runtime Fee" policy drawing public criticism, prompting the company to attempt to change the fee's terms. This also resulted in the departure of CEO John Riccitiello, who was replaced by former IBM president James M. Whitehurst as interim CEO.

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• Marvel's Spider-Man 2 may be receiving a DLC featuring comic book villain Beetle, according to references found in leaked Insomniac Games files.