Activision Blizzard, a prominent gaming company, recently made headlines with their decision to part ways with a significant portion of their esports division. This division was responsible for organizing and managing popular esports events such as The Overwatch League and Call of Duty League. This move by Activision Blizzard signifies a significant shift in their focus and strategy within the esports industry. By streamlining their esports operations, Activision Blizzard aims to optimize their resources and allocate them to other areas of their business.
Activision Blizzard has let go of a massive chunk of its esports division following the company's recent layoffs. The group's high-profile body of work under Activision Blizzard includes the Overwatch League and Call of Duty League.
Mass layoffs hit the gaming industry last week when Microsoft announced that over 1,900 employees would be let go from its gaming division. These layoffs affected various gaming companies under Microsoft's umbrella, such as Xbox and ZeniMax. However, Activision Blizzard was hit particularly hard and took the brunt of Microsoft's downsizing. Unfortunately, it seems that some Activision Blizzard employees were just informed today, on January 30, that they would be moving on from the company.
Scott Parkin, a former senior manager for Activision Blizzard's esports operations, confirmed that he and his team were let go this morning after returning from the Call of Duty League's Boston Major. He expressed frustration at Activision Blizzard's decision to wait until the event was over to fire the majority of its esports staff, who had hoped to be in the clear after not hearing anything following last week's layoffs. The round of layoffs also saw popular commentator Matt Morello, a.k.a MrX, and popular desk host Soe Gschwind-Repp, a.k.a. Soe, let go from their positions. The Rotation, an established Twitter account that covers Call of Duty esports and is presumed to have inside sources, claimed that only 12 employees remain in Activision Blizzard's esports division, which sat at 72 members earlier this week. In addition, a source told PC Gamer that the recent layoffs do not represent a new round of firings, but instead are a part of the same wave from earlier this month.
Leagues Managed by Activision Blizzard's Esports Division
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