Activision Blizzard Layoffs, Blazing Ingots and Animacones Quests Hotfix, DLC #765

[Kumorii]

Yeah but the might not want to tough any Blizzard product in the future because of being fired. It all depends on the style of how they got informed about all this.

That's a choice they make if they don't want to utilize it. I just don't agree with the "spit in the face" or bad taste as others mentioned. If they ONLY got the 200$ gift card I would agree it's in poor taste. Coupled with everything else, it's fine.

I mean the alternative is that if they want future blizzard game they have to spend money on a company that fired them and blizzard earn money by former employees they fired. Now they get games for free if they want it and blizzard earns no money on their purchases.

Hell, even if they don't want it, since it's a gift card they can give it to someone they know or care about who likes blizzard games and none of them has to give blizzard money.

[SirBeef]

That sucks for those people, but that's a pretty good severance package. It's kind of sad to see people talking about Activision-Blizzard having a record year as if that means they can't do lay-offs in areas that their company is moving out of. Shitty situation all around. Bad for the people laid off and bad optics for the company.

I hate that argument that because a company has a record year or is doing well it should keep a struggling asset. It's usually made by people who have never run a business nor understands how businesses work.

[cateran100]

Let me help you: https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/ATVI...MUJp9aH_r9XcuU

It IS shared stock as running under ACTIVISION-BLIZZARD name, the stockholders getting reports under both comapnies income and profit and both company have effect on stocks. "Mr. Kotick is only the CEO of Activision Blizzard" Previously only Activision..seriously I can not explain simplier...No such a thing separate company..Not financially at least...
"The parent company doesn't go fire X, Y, Z." Hmm that`s cute... https://www.reddit.com/r/Blizzard/co...t_blizzard_in/ Let me guess..you believe everything what you see in the news...2016-2019...Ofc nothing happened from Kotick or Activision which pushed them to leave....ofc nothing...
"given the freedom to make its own choices as one of five divisions/subsidiaries." Let me help you again: "Activision Blizzard Layoffs" Made by an Activion-Blizzard manager not an Activision AND a Blizzard manager...

"no separate stock to trade." And this is the main point...only Activion-Blizzard stock exists therefore Blizzard income, proftability COUNTS in the value of stock, therefore THERE IS control from parent company (again financially) Blizzard DO NOT RUN his company moneywise..You can believe it..and I know it is not true as I myself working in a subsidiary comapny as well and I know when and how the parent company gives order to my bosses when it is needed or wanted

[Mysterymask]

What's this blizzard/activision hatred? Every company hires/fires people. Why are people trying make a 200$ gift into a big insult? Grow the fuck up.

You see this is MMO Champion/World of Warcraft fanbase...
They saw the layoffs which is already something scary and bad...
they pass over the 3 months pay and 12 months health insurance because that $200 gift card looks insulting
..I mean they at least got like 18 grand if my math is right and about 12-18 grand worth of health insurance
but oh man that $200 gift card! that will sate my anger THIS WILL BE MY TAKE THAT TO THE COMPANY THAT NERFED MY PALADIN 13 YEARS AGO

[erifwodahs]

Who in gods name thought the gift card was a good idea? Sometimes less is more. Should have offered the 3 months pay with healthcare for a year, and left it at that. But nooo, let's give everyone a piece of toilet paper that has a flavor text of "LOL enjoy you unemployed bum" written with sharpie.

I don't agree with this. If they did get like a months payment and $200 gift card, yeah, would feel shitty, but with the solid package that giftcard is like getting a full tank of fuel or a card to a free car wash after buying a car which has 5 years of insurance added in the package.

[rhorle]

It IS shared stock as running under ACTIVISION-BLIZZARD name, the stockholders getting reports under both comapnies income and profit and both company have effect on stocks. "Mr. Kotick is only the CEO of Activision Blizzard" Previously only Activision..seriously I can not explain simplier...No such a thing separate company..Not financially at least...

If there is a stock to share then there also has to be more then one company. There is only one stock and only one publicly trade company. Activision Blizzard. Blizzard, King, Activison publishing, Major League Gaming and anything else I missed are all under the Activison Blizzard stock. There is nothing to share since they are all subsidaries or divisions of the parent. It is laughable how you keep saying there are separate entities while also saying there are not. Blizzard is not a shared stock of Activision Blizzard. A list from reddit of previous employees of Blizzard doesn't say anything about Mr. Kotick saying they specifically need to be fired. Lol.

You are also under the delusion that I keep trying to say that they have no influence. That is wrong. Also you can use the quote tags to quote posts. It might make your responses more coherent since you seem to ramble quite a bit.

[Edward Wu]

Here's hoping the majority of those 190 were diversity hires. It's funny that they even hire dead weight in the first place when they are the first to go in situations like this. Meritocracy wins again.

[Low Hanging Fruit]

Let me help you: https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/ATVI...MUJp9aH_r9XcuU

It IS shared stock as running under ACTIVISION-BLIZZARD name, the stockholders getting reports under both comapnies income and profit and both company have effect on stocks. "Mr. Kotick is only the CEO of Activision Blizzard" Previously only Activision..seriously I can not explain simplier...No such a thing separate company..Not financially at least...
"The parent company doesn't go fire X, Y, Z." Hmm that`s cute... https://www.reddit.com/r/Blizzard/co...t_blizzard_in/ Let me guess..you believe everything what you see in the news...2016-2019...Ofc nothing happened from Kotick or Activision which pushed them to leave....ofc nothing...
"given the freedom to make its own choices as one of five divisions/subsidiaries." Let me help you again: "Activision Blizzard Layoffs" Made by an Activion-Blizzard manager not an Activision AND a Blizzard manager...

"no separate stock to trade." And this is the main point...only Activion-Blizzard stock exists therefore Blizzard income, proftability COUNTS in the value of stock, therefore THERE IS control from parent company (again financially) Blizzard DO NOT RUN his company moneywise..You can believe it..and I know it is not true as I myself working in a subsidiary comapny as well and I know when and how the parent company gives order to my bosses when it is needed or wanted

Exactly. People are so desperate to defend Blizzard when it's just a shell. The company is called Activision Blizzard. Sure you got some legalise and politician talk filled with technicalities but end of the day if I invest in one I invest in both. Thier fates are sealed together. Sure, Bobby doesn't get caught up in what color to paint the walls when it's time to paint the office. But he can say we need to make more money and thus Blizzard may decide not to paint the walls after all because it costs money. Yes, a lame as fuck example right.. But it shows how choices are made by the parent company without actually giving a direct order.

[ek0zu]

Nowadays, layoffs it's the only thing where this company shines!

[rhorle]

but end of the day if I invest in one I invest in both. Thier fates are sealed together.

You only ever invest in the parent company. Buying a share of Activision Blizzard does not give you a share of Blizzard, King, MLG, Activision publishing, and any other subsidiary. If Blizzard were to be sold to someone else you wouldn't have any shares of Blizzard. Because it isn't publicly traded. This isn't even about defending Blizzard but basics about stocks and companies.

Blizzard, including all the old employees, have always been about making money. It isn't a shell now. You just have a scapegoat in Activision/Kotick to blame. If Blizzard is a shell now then they were under Vivendi and Davidson and Associates. Which goes all the way back to 1996.

[Low Hanging Fruit]

Nowadays, layoffs it's the only thing where this company shines!

For sure. At least they get to grab a headline somehow.

- - - Updated - - -

Ah yeah of course, it's just a $200 gift card. Let's forget the twelve full months of health coverage in the middle of a fucking pandemic and three entire months of salary as a severance. Some of you people must be completely devoid of a brain.

At least I can tell you aren't one of these people. Take a look around you and say in 3 months this is gone if I don't find probably an equal or better job in a pretty bad job market and think that you were given a big time gift when the company probably writes off more in losses of sugar packets and creamer in a year than your salary. But hey, at least you got that 200 dollar battle.net store card so you might not need to cancel that WoW sub or CoD annual pass by the time the quarter ends here in 15ish days. Probably would have been better if it was a 200 dollar amazon card where at least they could have gotten some roman noodle to live off over while they desperately search for a job.

[Depakote]

There should be financial and/or legal repercussions for companies that downsize despite showing record profits.

I like this idea.

[cozzri]

That sucks for those people, but that's a pretty good severance package. It's kind of sad to see people talking about Activision-Blizzard having a record year as if that means they can't do lay-offs in areas that their company is moving out of. Shitty situation all around. Bad for the people laid off and bad optics for the company.

Its a reflection of management; this is used to pad numbers to cover up bad decisions. "This didn't perform as projected, but numbers are up!"

ESports is only popular with Starcraft, they wanted a slice of that pie way too late and lost big trying to reach for it.

[Bladesyphon]

For sure. At least they get to grab a headline somehow.

- - - Updated - - -



At least I can tell you aren't one of these people. Take a look around you and say in 3 months this is gone if I don't find probably an equal or better job in a pretty bad job market and think that you were given a big time gift when the company probably writes off more in losses of sugar packets and creamer in a year than your salary. But hey, at least you got that 200 dollar battle.net store card so you might not need to cancel that WoW sub or CoD annual pass by the time the quarter ends here in 15ish days. Probably would have been better if it was a 200 dollar amazon card where at least they could have gotten some roman noodle to live off over while they desperately search for a job.

I'm going to make a fairly accurate guess from this post that you don't actually understand what severance pay is, or how any of this works. The people that are being laid off from Blizzard are being offered a three month severance pay to hold them over until one of two things happens - they successfully file for federal unemployment, or find another job and circumvent the need to file for unemployment.

Do you know what happened to most people that got laid off during the pandemic? They didn't get severance pay - they got laid off, and then spent the next month (or more depending on your area) trying to sign up for, and claim, federal unemployment. During that time - they had no income, at all. No health insurance, no severance, no nothing. They had to pray to god they had money saved up to feed themselves and their families during that period of time, and also had to hope no one got sick, because I guarantee you the majority of their employers also didn't offer to let them stay on their company-issued health plan either.

But no, no let's focus on the silly $200 Battle.net card (which is more of a "Hey, thanks for working for us, sorry it didn't pan out, here's a little something to remember us by" gift than anything else), and completely ignore the full year of health insurance they get to keep, the three month severance pay that will help them get by until they can file for unemployment or get a new job. Blizzard is literally handing them a giant safety net to keep them afloat due to their lay offs, something the majority of companies didn't do for workers who were laid off during this pandemic.

Honestly, your guys' blind hatred for Blizzard is getting tiring. You're ignoring how the reality of the world works, what any of these words mean, and focusing entirely on trying to twist the situation into a way that lets you continue hating Blizzard because..why, exactly? I can't even keep up anymore why so many posters on this website and others seem to want to hate on Blizzard, despite them doing things most companies don't do, when it comes to treating their employees.

[Cavox]

I feel bad for the people who lost their jobs, but it's understandable if the e-sport divisions are... what they are.
Here's a free tip to Activision-Blizzard: stop forcing your games to be e-sports.
Let the community handle it, stop policing "toxic" players (like banning people for friendly banter, not using "pronouns" or other BLM-type stupid sh*t), stop throwing money into branding and marketing and start investing into pool prizes (that is if you HAVE to interfere). Stop designing games to be the next "e-sport" hit - those are lightning in bottles and you can't predict what will take off next. SC became what it became back in the day, because you kept your corpo fingers out of it.

And also STOP BEING BUTTHURT ABOUT MISSING OUT ON DOTA. Get over it already, sheesh.

[Argorwal]

You only ever invest in the parent company. Buying a share of Activision Blizzard does not give you a share of Blizzard, King, MLG, Activision publishing, and any other subsidiary. If Blizzard were to be sold to someone else you wouldn't have any shares of Blizzard. Because it isn't publicly traded. This isn't even about defending Blizzard but basics about stocks and companies.

Blizzard, including all the old employees, have always been about making money. It isn't a shell now. You just have a scapegoat in Activision/Kotick to blame. If Blizzard is a shell now then they were under Vivendi and Davidson and Associates. Which goes all the way back to 1996.

I would bet most people don’t even realize Blizzard has been under another company since 1996 because the parent name didn’t include Blizzard.

Activision is just the latest in line.

- - - Updated - - -

I feel bad for the people who lost their jobs, but it's understandable if the e-sport divisions are... what they are.
Here's a free tip to Activision-Blizzard: stop forcing your games to be e-sports.
Let the community handle it, stop policing "toxic" players (like banning people for friendly banter, not using "pronouns" or other BLM-type stupid sh*t), stop throwing money into branding and marketing and start investing into pool prizes (that is if you HAVE to interfere). Stop designing games to be the next "e-sport" hit - those are lightning in bottles and you can't predict what will take off next. SC became what it became back in the day, because you kept your corpo fingers out of it.

And also STOP BEING BUTTHURT ABOUT MISSING OUT ON DOTA. Get over it already, sheesh.

This layoff is specifically about Overwatch and Call of Duty which are made to be esports from the beginning.

[Subrias]

Sorry to the people that lost jobs.

But, on the flip, its just E-Sports. Nobody really gives a shit about E-Sports

What? Lol in 2020 esports recorded 500m viewers putting it equal with baseball in worldwide viewership at 7th on the list of sports viewership.

https://www.roundhillinvestments.com...ship-vs-sports

[RoKPaNda]

ESports is only popular with Starcraft, they wanted a slice of that pie way too late and lost big trying to reach for it.

They have a few franchises where the esports could be good, but they mismanage it. StarCraft 2 being one of their biggest failures. They dumped a lot of money into Korean SC2 esports and their feud with KESPA and then they just abandoned it. Heroes of the Storm could have been big but they mismanaged it (and they were a little late into the MOBA genre tbh) - Hearthstone could be decent-ish but again they're mismanaging it. WoW esports has always been horrible imo. Both of the PvP and MDI esports stuff is really dull to watch. Overwatch isn't my cup of tea but again most of what I've heard about their esports is that Blizzard is mismanaging it.

It's honestly like they never learned. WC3 and SC1 esports happened organically and I think Blizzard just expected that for every subsequent title and never bothered to look at what other companies like Riot or Valve did to foster their esports scenes. Even Capcom does better with their Street Fighter and Marvel stuff. (Generally)

A lot of Blizzard's problems imo come down to poor management.

I hate that argument that because a company has a record year or is doing well it should keep a struggling asset. It's usually made by people who have never run a business nor understands how businesses work.

Right? It sucks but it's the nature of business. If you suddenly find yourself with 100 people that no longer can serve a function in your company you can't just keep perpetually paying them in hopes that some project comes along that they're suited for it. It sucks balls but what is a company supposed to do? At least in this case these ones got a pretty good severance package so I think in this case Blizzard did actually learn something from the backlash of previous layoffs. Maybe. Hopefully?

And this is an extremely volatile industry to start with.

What? Lol in 2020 esports recorded 500m viewers putting it equal with baseball in worldwide viewership at 7th on the list of sports viewership.

https://www.roundhillinvestments.com...ship-vs-sports

Yeah esports and streaming in general are huge. I know for the games I play I watch a lot of the esports. I probably watch Street Fighter V esports more than I actually play Street Fighter at this point. I watch COD esports even though I play Warzone and not traditional COD multi.

[kranur]

Well 200$ is better than 0$ so ... yeah.
The amount does look funny. Could have just granted them every blizzard game and all applicable expansions to their account.

[SirBeef]

Well 200$ is better than 0$ so ... yeah.
The amount does look funny. Could have just granted them every blizzard game and all applicable expansions to their account.

Are just ignoring the year of benefits? That and the severance money would seem to be a good thing, but I've seen all over people bagging on this.