Why are so many people in gaming losing their jobs?

What in the World

• Episode: Why are so many people in gaming losing their jobs?
• Website: What in the World
• Feed URL: https://podcasts.files.bbci.co.uk/w13xtvrv.rss
• Duration: 00:14:52
• Published: 2024-05-03 15:30

Epic Games. Microsoft. Riot Games; owners of the biggest computer game titles in the world and part of a gaming industry which has been valued at $200 billion. That’s more than the music and entertainment industry combined. It’s not all plain sailing though.

Epic Games, which created Fortnite, recently cut 870 jobs. Microsoft, which now owns Activision-Blizzard; famous for the Call of Duty and Red Dead Redemption series, announced 1,900 job losses earlier this year. League of Legends maker Riot Games reduced their workforce by 10%, which meant 530 job cuts. It’s estimated that 18,000 jobs have been lost over the past couple of years. BBC gaming expert Mel Ramsay explains what’s going on. Also, Harriet in the UK and Francis from Canada share their experiences of being laid off. They give their views on the impact on the gaming sector and how to improve things for employees.

And we take a quick look at the computer game sector in Nigeria, where the demand for home grown mobile gaming is taking off.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Email: [email protected] Presenter: Alex Rhodes Producers: Julia Ross-Roy, Josh Jenkins and Adam Chowdhury Editor: Verity Wilde