LittleBigPlanet, Dreams Developer Media Molecule Reportedly Planning To Lay Off 20 Employees

Update, 12:26 p.m., 10/24/23:

Game Informer reached out to Sony and PlayStation seeking confirmation of Media Molecule layoffs and more following the release of GLHF's report. A spokesperson for Sony Interactive Entertainment sent us a link to Media Molecule's Twitter account, where it shared the following message: 

The original story continues below...

Original story, 9:32 a.m., 10/24/23:

PlayStation first-party studio Media Molecule, which is the team behind Dreams and LittleBigPlanet, is reportedly set to layoff around 20 employees. That's according to a new report from Sports Illustrated's GLHF, which states the news of impending layoffs was revealed during an internal meeting held today at the studio. 

The layoffs are set to reduce team staff by 15 to 20%, with a headcount reduction of 135 to 115, according to GLHF. The report doesn't indicate a specific reason why beyond staff reduction, but Game Informer has reached out to PlayStation to confirm the layoffs and associated numbers, why the layoffs might be happening, and if affected employees will receive severance; we will update the story if we learn more or receive comment back from PlayStation. 

Media Molecule was originally an independent studio before PlayStation acquired it in 2010. The team is responsible for LittleBigPlanet, LittleBigPlanet 2, Tearaway, and Dreams. Read Game Informer's LittleBigPlanet 2 review here and then check out our Dreams review. 

These reported Media Molecule layoffs join an unfortunately ever-growing list of layoffs affecting the studios behind games released in 2023, which by all accounts is one of the best years in gaming in terms of releases. In January, Microsoft laid off 10,000 employees amidst its ongoing $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which it completed earlier this month. 

In August, Striking Distance Studios, the team behind last year's The Callisto Protocol, laid off more than 30 employees, and that same month, Mass Effect and Dragon Age developer BioWare laid off 50 employees, including long-time studio veterans. The following month, in September, Immortals of Aveum developer Ascendant Studios laid off roughly 45% of its staff. 

Just this month, The Last of Us developer Naughty Dog has laid off at least 25 employees and Telltale Games has gone through layoffs as well, although an actual number of laid off employees has not yet been revealed.  

The hearts of the Game Informer staff are with everyone affected by these layoffs and those still at the studio. 

[Source: GLHF]