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Unity to lay off 1,800 staff as it continues company reset

Unity interim CEO Jim Whitehurst was very clear in November, following the engine firm’s financials, that he was gearing up for what he called a “rip off the band-aid reset” as the company looks to finally start making money. Unity, of course, spent a decade intentionally investing millions into making itself a dominant force in the game engine space before looking for profitability.

There was an enormous backlash to the runtime fee announcement after Unity plotted to alter the licensing deals developers had already signed with the company (though the runtime fee remains, slightly changed). Its plans to dominate and then monetise aggressively have been scuppered by that sheer aggression, and Unity, it seems, needs cash right now.

After the warnings of layoffs, product discontinuation and office closures, this week we now know what the reality of this looks like: 1,800 layoffs, or 25% of its global workforce. The move will impact all teams, regions and areas of the business. The company’s growth at all costs strategy has backfired and employees are now having to pay the price for it.

Job losses will mean fewer developers working on the engine, which could have wider ramifications for the industry at large.

Can Unity be both profitable and have an industry-leading game engine business? So far, this is a goal it has yet to achieve.

SAG-AFTRA actors union signs AI deal, enabling voice replicas in games

Is that it? After years of standing up against the imminent onslaught of AI and the potential decimation of the worth of its members, SAG-AFTRA have this week signed a deal that paves the way for game makers to incorporate replica voices of SAG-AFTRA union members, with fees and money raised rightly reaching the pockets of the talent concerned.

No more rip-off soundalikes, no more ‘passing off’, a clear agreed route for approvals and rights and – for well-known stars and celebs – an easy way to earn an easy buck without even having be conscious or alive.

But what about the tens of thousands of ‘unknown’ voice actors who provide the dialogue in countless entertainment properties from games to ads? Is fresh talent in for a pay day now that Pandora’s box has been opened and officially sanctioned?

After all, why pay the little guy when you can have a big name instead? And – if you’re not paying for a big name – why bother using a ‘real’ replica voice at all? Why not just use just that self same AI to create an original voice so you don’t have to pay anyone, big or small?

And how long before the same brainwave and tech gets applied to video as well as audio? Thanks to this deal, the stars of the future are all set to make millions. If there are any.

Twitch slashes 500 jobs – 35% of its staff – in latest cuts

It’s the start of a new year, and unfortunately, the mass job losses we saw throughout 2023 seem to show no sign of slowing down into 2024. Amazon owned streaming company Twitch was hit this week, losing 35% of its staff in the latest cuts. Amazon itself has also suffered more job losses despite huge layoffs last year.

One of the big debates that surrounds Twitch is streamers’ pay. Sure, there are people earning enormous amounts of money, but that accounts for a very small fraction of streamers using the platform. Most streamers on the site struggle to make money, with the standard split being 50% for and 70% for those in the partner program, something that has been hit with much debate over the years. But from a business standpoint, Twitch finds itself in the difficult position of trying to satisfy those using the platform and being profitable, which is something it’s never actually achieved!

With massive costs and financial challenges for Twitch, it was only a matter of time until job losses became part of the strategy. These aren’t the only measures the streaming platform is taking, given that it’s also closing down operations in Korea next month despite the popularity of esports in the region. If these changes will finally make any difference to the profitability of Twitch, only time will tell. Hopefully, those impacted by the layoffs can find their next adventure soon.

20 years of Monster Hunter: Capcom celebrates two goliath decades in 2024

Monster Hunter producer Ryozo Tsujimoto released a statement thanking fans for 20 years of support for the series, with its 20th anniversary close upon the horizon. A vote for the most popular monster has already taken place with results to be revealed in May, and in the meantime players are encouraged to keep busy with World, Rise and Now – a trifecta of titles all sustaining popularity across a range of consoles.

As a Monster Hunter enjoyer myself, particularly of Rise, Now, and Stories 2, there’s no better time to be a fan of the series as everyone continues to engage in plenty of existing content while waiting with bated breath for more information on Wilds. Loads to play already and more to come? Sounds good to me.

I’m also hoping for an Astalos reveal in Now, and I refuse to stop saying it until it happens!