《天命》(Destiny)系列開發商 Bungie 今(1)日宣佈裁減 200 名員工,佔工作室全員 17%,該工作室去年 10 月也裁了百位開發者,如今再度大刀闊斧,引來「前員工」強烈批評高層並要求執行長 Pete Parsons 下臺。
Bungie 去年推遲《天命 2》資料片《最終型態》(The Final Shape)上市,官方承認開發受裁員影響並流失玩家信任,承諾會致力讓遊戲內容超出外界期望,《天命 2:最終形態》今年 6 月推出為故事畫下句點,獲 Steam 八成好評及 31 萬同上高峰。
但遊戲產業頹勢未見止歇,Bungie 執行長 Pete Parsons 在官網聲明,本次裁員 220 人範圍涵蓋高階主管和資深管理層等,主要因是開發成本上升和經濟狀況不佳,還有「過於雄心勃勃導致財務邊界被跨越,開始出現赤字」,為止血不得不裁員。
Parsons 還提到另一項大規模變革,Bungie 與索尼互動娛樂(Sony Interactive Entertainment)的業務整合。
Bungie 的 155 名員工(約 12%)未來幾季將陸續併到 SIE 其他部門,旨在利用索尼的資源優勢為人才創造新的機會,此外,為了深化雙方合作,Bungie 計畫在 PlayStation Studios 內創建新工作室,以孵化一款全新的科幻動作遊戲。
聲明補充裁員的原因,Bungie 之前為同時開發《天命 2》新內容和重製版科幻逃殺射擊《馬拉松》(Marathon)擴大工作室規模,然而 2023 年遊戲圈不景氣,《天命 2》DLC《光殞年代》首發翻車雪上加霜,團隊陷入困境,在謹慎開發《最終型態》時財務開始虧損。
Parsons 表示,儘管當時高層研擬了其他選擇,最終還是決定進行此次裁員,以使工作室的業務和經營更加實際,產能完全聚焦《天命》和《馬拉松》。他也承諾盡最大力量照顧被裁員者,提供資遣費、獎金和健康保險等的資遣方案。
「Bungie 將繼續製作精彩的遊戲。我們仍有超過 850 名團隊成員在開發《天命》和《馬拉松》,將持續打造超越玩家期望的精彩體驗。」
由於這是 Bungie 一年內二度裁員,現任和前任員工對此表達強烈不滿,Bungie 全球社群領導人dmg04(Dylan Gafner)在官方推文批評高層的決策「不可原諒」(Inexcusable)並呼籲盡可能幫助受影響的員工,獲得讚數接近官方推文 4 倍。
Inexcusable. Industry leading talent being lost, yet again. Accountability falling upon the workers who have pushed the needle to deliver for our community time and time again.
— dmg04 (@A_dmg04) July 31, 2024
Please maintain focus on those who’ve lost their position & income. Offer help where you can. https://t.co/SSDveUd5uW
Second Dinner 旗下《漫威瞬戰超能》(Marvel Snap)資深社群經理、前 Bungie 員工 Griffin Bennett 質疑管理層是否無需對裁員負責,並質疑高管只會砍獎金不受裁員影響。他還指出 Bungie 缺乏領導力波及開發者,並呼籲執行長 Parsons 辭職。前 Bungie 社群經理 Liana Ruppert 也要求執行長下台。
C-Suite taking accountability for any of this or still just "withholding bonuses" and it'll be "settled in-house"?
— Griffin Bennett (@GriffinWB) July 31, 2024
Poor leadership has crushed one of the greatest developers of all time.
Retire, Pete.
許多受這波裁員影響的 Bungie 開發者對官方裁員的公告感到震驚,Bungie 能否如執行長聲明所言,充分協助失業員工還有待觀察。
my whole team is gone.
— ☾ Alexandra, alexthegr8r on bsky (@_AlexTheGr8r_) July 31, 2024
And I’m affected. I’m so sick and tired of these layoffs. Unionize unionize unionize. https://t.co/onhzPvE48S
— TimeSpace | Allie 🏳️🌈@ funemployed (@TimeSpaceCos) July 31, 2024
Jk lolz I'm laid off too. https://t.co/6Ms4JSAb30
— Curoar🍉 (@Curoar) July 31, 2024
Even when the team was halved last time, we stuck by each other and lifted each other up to make our team the best it could be. It was an honor to work with them.
— Drew Tucker (@Duard0) July 31, 2024
Only two of us remain now and I’m not sure how long we have after today.
Today is a difficult day for the Destiny team. Out of respect to our friends and colleagues, and to give our team time to take care of each other, we are cancelling this week's TWID.
— Destiny 2 Team (@Destiny2Team) July 31, 2024
hi sooo i've been affected by this & it really sucks! please keep me in mind for any future roles at your studios for publishing/marketing art roles or production art roles. ❤️
— miki bishop 🔪 (looking for work!) (@niftybiiscuit) July 31, 2024
i have 5 years of games industry experience in a variety of 3D and 2D roles. https://t.co/nXtcrNcAo2