Mumbai, March 15: Tech layoffs in 2024 have sparked concerns among employees working in the technology and IT sector. The tech sector does not show any sign of slowing down, as there were reports that Indian fintech firm Paytm started laying off its employees before the March 15 deadline suggested by RBI. The year started with tech giants laying off employees due to restructuring, cost-cutting, and economic downturns. 

According to a report by India Today, the layoff trend has entered the video game industry as EA-owned Respawn Entertainment has cut several employees from the company's Apex Legends team. Last month, Electronic Arts (EA) layoffs resulted in nearly 670 jobs, and now the report says that the video game company cut more than 23 people in its latest layoff round. Paytm Layoffs 2024: Fintech Firm Cutting About 20% Jobs as Part of Annual Appraisal Cycle, Will Adopt AI-Powered Automation To Drive Efficiency, Says Report.

The latest job cuts come from Respawn Entertainment, a video game developer based in California, US. It was founded in 2010 and acquired by Electronics Arts (EA) in 2017 for $151 million in cash and $164 million in equity. After EA's acquisition, Respawn Entertainment launched Apex Legends via YouTube livestream. 

The report mentioned a statement from Apex Legend Designer Aaron Stump stating that the team was hit by layoffs and that it is disheartening to see some of the people go. He said that he worked with some of these people for almost three years. The report highlighted that the Respawn Entertainment layoffs coincide with EA's announcement to cut the workforce by 5%. Elon Musk Twitter Layoffs: Former Twitter Employee Asked Federal Judge To Order Elon To Sit for Seven-Hour Deposition; Check Key Allegations.

The report said that the EA also cancelled its Star Wars first-person-shooter project. Now it said that Respawn Entertainment will keep focusing on two other games, including Apex Legends and Star Wars Jedi titles. The report also highlighted that the EA laid off 200 people working as quality assurance testers from Apex Legends. The company is reportedly planning to shift away from future licensed intellectual property.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 15, 2024 03:04 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).