Montreal video game developers protest recent Microsoft layoffs

Video game developers working at Bethesda Game Studios spent their lunch break voicing their displeasure with Microsoft’s latest round of cuts.

Bethesda Game Studios is owned by Microsoft. Last week, 12 employees were laid off as part of widespread job cuts in the company.

“We thought we were pretty safe from the cuts so I was pretty stunned,” Simon Prefontaine, one of the employees who was laid off, said. “All the negative emotions, stunned, upset, sad.”

Microsoft announced major layoffs with 3,200 Xbox employees laid off, part of an approximate 2 per cent cutback of Microsoft’s workforce.

“This is the third summer in a row that they’ve done layoffs,” Prefontaine said. “I can’t help but think there might be more next summer. It’s pretty chilling.”

He says there are multiple rallies taking place in other North American cities.

In a statement, Microsoft said:

“We respect our employees’ right to make their voices heard, and we recognize that this is a difficult time for many […] We remain focused on supporting impacted employees through this transition while positioning the organization for long-term strength.”

It hasn’t been easy lately for Montreal’s gaming industry. Studios have been cutting back and many jobs have disappeared. Despite the challenges, some remain confident.

“The video game industry in Quebec is still strong,” Prefontaine said. “We have a huge talent pool. This is still one of the main places in the world to make video games.”

The group calls these layoffs illegal, because they took place in the middle of negotiating their first collective agreement. They are still hopeful these jobs can be saved.