Elden Ring creator and FromSoftware president Hidetaka Miyazaki has mentioned he will not permit the devastating online game business layoffs to have an effect on his studio so long as he is in cost.
Speaking to PC Gamer, Miyazaki mentioned he cannot 100% assure FromSoftware shall be protected from job losses — which have to this point seen 1000’s lose their jobs throughout the likes of Embracer Group, Microsoft, and Sony — however would not permit it “so long as this firm is [his] duty.”
FromSoftware is owned by Japanese group Kadokawa Corporation so the choice is not wholly in Miyazaki’s palms, nevertheless. Microsoft, for instance, shut down Redfall developer Arkane Austin alongside Hi-Fi Rush and Ghostwire Tokyo developer Tango Gameworks in May 2024 regardless of posting a 17% improve in income and $21.9 billion in revenue in its newest monetary earnings report.
But Miyazaki appeared assured Kadokawa shares his opinion on layoffs. “Speaking to myself and this firm, I wish to say that this isn’t one thing I would want on the workers at FromSoftware in one million years,” he mentioned. “I’m fairly positive our dad or mum firm Kadokawa understands that and shares that view.”
He then referenced former Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, who famously took a pay reduce himself when income have been down as a substitute of resorting to layoffs. “I sincerely doubt workers who worry that they could be laid off will have the ability to develop software program titles that would impress folks all over the world,” Iwata mentioned on the time.
Miyazaki echoed this assertion. “I believe it was the previous ex-president of Nintendo, Iwata, who mentioned ‘people who find themselves afraid of shedding their jobs are afraid of creating good issues.’ I’m paraphrasing that, however I completely share this view,” he mentioned.
“I believe it is true, and I believe the folks at Kadokawa, our dad or mum firm, perceive that I maintain this view very strongly. While we will not say 100% — we will not say with full certainty what the longer term’s going to carry for From and Kadokawa — a minimum of so long as this firm is my duty, that is one thing I might not let occur. So hopefully our gamers and our followers can take a bit little bit of assurance from that.”
Miyazaki’s feedback come simply as Embracer shut down Alone within the Dark developer Pieces Interactive after the sport failed to fulfill expectations. Pieces Interactive joins Free Radical Design, Onoma, and Volition Games as studios closed by Embracer within the final 12 months amid layoffs affecting 1000’s of workers.
Image credit score: Daniel Boczarski / Contributor at Getty Images
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll discuss The Witcher all day.
