Team17 reportedly suffers layoffs during company restructure

Several developers have announced that they have been laid off from PlayStation’s Visual Arts group.

The Problem with Jon Stewarthas been canceled by Apple after just two seasons, reportedly after Apple execs balked at the idea of the show tackling topics like China and artificial intelligence, The New York Times reports.

The release date for the slimmer and lighter mid-gen refresh of the PS5 has seemingly leaked online, alongside details about its first bundle. As per reliable tipster Billbil-kun — notorious for accurately leaking monthly PS Plus games ahead of time — the new PlayStation consoles with smaller form factor will go on sale November 10 in the US before spreading out to other regions; both disc and digital versions. A bit before that, on November 8, Sony would be bundling it with the newly launched Marvel's Spider-Man 2 at $559.99, which is the same amount as the existing standard edition bundle. While not explicitly mentioned, the content should be the same, with a digital voucher for the game, alongside a themed controller.

Zen Studios, the team behind the Pinball FX series, is reportedly one of the latest companies to have been hit by layoffs this year.

Recently, we told you that British developer Team17 may experience job losses following the CEO leaving the company. Sadly, it looks as though this may be the case after all, with the studio possibly losing a third of its staff.

UK indie label Team17 is reportedly looking at laying off one-third of its staff.

UK indie label Team17 is reportedly looking at laying off one-third of its staff.

Team17's restructuring could end with the publisher laying off one-third of its employees, according to Eurogamer.

Team17 is poised to lay off up to 91 people — a third of the company — as part of its major restructuring programme, Eurogamer can reveal.

Nearly two years ago, Microsoft announced it was acquiring Call of Duty and Diablo maker Activision Blizzard for a colossal $69 billion. With reports indicating that the deal is set to close tomorrow, on October 13, the saga is almost over. Ahead of that deal's finalization, we learned Activision Blizzard will not be putting the upcoming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III or the recently released Diablo IV on Xbox Game Pass this year. Now, thanks to a new report from WindowsCentral, we've learned Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick held an all-hands employee meeting yesterday where former late-night show host James Corden interviewed him about future technology, the acquisition, and Guitar Hero. 

The upcoming Elden Ring Shadow Of The Erdtree DLC could very well launch early next year on February 5, 2024.

The saga of Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard has dragged on for nearly two years at this point, but after having cleared several major regulatory hurdles, it seems like the $69 billion deal is edging closer to being finalized.