H1Z1 publisher Daybreak Game Company, formerly known as Sony Online Entertainment, has confirmed that an unknown number of employees have been laid off. The cuts come less than two months after H1Z1, an early battle royale game, went free to play, a shift which itself happened just over a week after it launched as a premium game.
"Daybreak confirms we are realigning our workforce to better position our company for the future. Because of this, we have had to make an extremely difficult decision to part ways with some of our employees across various disciplines at the studio. We are doing everything we can to take care of each affected individual by providing them appropriate transition assistance," a company spokesperson said in an email.
"Daybreak remains focused on publishing and developing large-scale online games and will continue to service our existing and long-standing games and franchises."
The number of people laid off wasn't released, but former chief publishing officer Laura Naviaux Sturr revealed on Twitter yesterday that she's no longer with the company.
Moving on! The next adventure awaits...I’ll drop some info soon. #newbeginnings #staygamingApril 25, 2018
Daybreak develops and publishes games including H1Z1 and its former open-world survival side Just Survive, Planetside 2, DC Universe Online, Everquest, and Everquest 2. The company also recently launched the H1Z1 Pro League, which premiered last weekend in Las Vegas.
