Epic Games has announced it is laying off roughly 16 percent of its workforce, resulting in around 830 employees losing their jobs.
10.09.2023 - 02:03 / venturebeat.com / Donald Mustard / Will
We're thrilled to announce the return of GamesBeat Next, hosted in San Francisco this October, where we will explore the theme of «Playing the Edge.» Apply to speak here and learn more about sponsorship opportunities here. At the event, we will also announce 25 top game startups as the 2024 Game Changers. Apply or nominate today!
Donald Mustard said on social media he will retire from his role as chief creative officer at Epic Games this month.
That’s a big change for Mustard and Epic, as Mustard was in charge of the Fortnite, which has generated billions of dollars in revenue over the years. Mustard spent 25 years in games.
He worked on titles such as Advent Rising. And he was part of the team that started Chair Entertainment in 2005, which went on to make the hit mobile game Infinity Blade. Mustard also worked on titles like Undertow and Shadow Complex. The Infinity Blade series drew the attention of Epic Games, maker of the Unreal game engine, and Epic acquired Chair Entertainment in 2008.
After that, Mustard went on to lead a number of projects at Epic Games, including shepherding Fortnite to its success with a battle royale mode.
Mustard made the announcement yesterday on X (formerly Twitter).
Here’s the full tweet:
After an incredible adventure, I will be retiring from my role as Chief Creative Officer at Epic this month.
I have enjoyed nearly 25 years in the game industry collaborating with some of the most talented people ever and I am so proud of what we have made together. From the ambitious Advent Rising, to the start of ChAIR where we created Undertow, Shadow Complex, and the Infinity Blade trilogy, to the honor of our tiny team becoming part of Epic, each new chapter allowed me to accomplish something new and original. I am especially proud of the opportunity I’ve had to help create and shape Fortnite.
I am humbled to have been a part of the team that every day tries to bring ‘joy and delight’ to the Fortnite community! We love watching you experience every moment – leaping from the Battle Bus for the very first time, seeing the rocket crack open the sky, dancing with friends after a Victory Royale, being sucked into a black hole or being washed out to sea as The Island flipped over – and on and on! I can’t wait to now share in the future of Fortnite as a player alongside all of you! The teams are in the best hands and they are working on huge, jaw dropping, amazing things!!!
I’m excited to spend time with my wife and family and am forever grateful for
@TimSweeneyEpic
and the Epic Games family.
GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is «where passion meets business.» What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you — not just as a decision-maker at a game studio,
Epic Games has announced it is laying off roughly 16 percent of its workforce, resulting in around 830 employees losing their jobs.
There are two pieces of bad news coming out of Epic Games this week: the company is laying off hundreds of employees and making it more expensive to purchase Fortnite V-Bucks.
It’s been revealed that the Fortnite developer Epic Games is laying off 16% of its workforce. Around 830 employees will be affected.
Epic Games, the company behind Fortnite, Unreal Engine 5, and Gears of War, is laying off around 870 staff members, which represent 16% of the total workforce. The reports follow after multiplayer shooter Hyenas has been canceled by Sega, with Total War and Alien Isolation developer Creative Assembly also announcing job losses and redundancies.
Those who have spent money on Fortnitecan now apply to receive a refund as part of Epic Games' $245 million settlement with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
By Jay Peters, a news editor who writes about technology, video games, and virtual worlds. He’s submitted several accepted emoji proposals to the Unicode Consortium.
It was announced earlier in the week that industry veteran Donald Mustard, who is the chief creative officer at Epic Games, will be retiring from his role and leaving the company. Now, it’s been confirmed who his replacement will be.
An influential former Marvel executive, who also helped design God of War’s iconic protagonist Kratos, has been appointed as Epic Games’ new chief creative officer.
Charlie Wen, who previously designed Kratos from the God of War series, has been appointed Chief Creative Officer at Epic Games.
By Ash Parrish, a reporter who has covered the business, culture, and communities of video games for seven years. Previously, she worked at Kotaku.
Sign up for the GI Daily here to get the biggest news straight to your inbox
Epic Games' chief creative officer Donald Mustard is leaving the company after over seven years.