Type
Internal restructuring
Country
France
Region
île de France; Yvelines;
Location of affected unit(s)
Versailles
Sector
Information / Communication
Publishing Of Information; Production And Programming Of Audiovisual
Publishing Activities
58.21 - Publishing of computer games

134 jobs
Number of planned job losses
Job loss
Announcement Date
15 February 2019
Employment effect (start)
1 March 2019
Foreseen end date
31 December 2019

Description

Blizzard Entertainment has announced 134 job cuts in its office at Versailles (Yvelines) out of a total workforce of 400 employees. These job cuts are part of a global reorganisation decided by the American parent company, Activision Blizzard, which has eliminated some 800 positions out of a total workforce of 9,600 employees worldwide.

This announcement left employees surprised because the publisher achieved a record turnover in 2018 of about $6.62 (€5.85) billion. Although, when Blizzard Entertainment presented its financial results, it specified that no major releases were planned for 2019. Blizzard could propose transfers to its other European facilities located in Cork (Ireland), or The Hague (Netherlands). However, it can be estimated that a large number of employees will not accept such transfer.


Sources

Citation

Eurofound (2019), Blizzard Entertainment, Internal restructuring in France, factsheet number 97210, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/97210.