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Tue, 24 Mar 2026

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 Fortnite-maker Epic Games lays off 1,000 more staff

It is the second time in recent years the company has announced lays offs due to struggles with its blockbuster online game.
Epic Games, the company behind Fortnite, is laying off over 1,000 employees due to a decline in engagement with its popular game. The company's CEO, Tim Sweeney, apologized for the cuts and attributed them to a "downturn" in Fortnite engagement that started in 2025. This led to Epic spending more than it was making, necessitating major cuts to keep the company funded. Sweeney stated that the company faced both industry-wide challenges, such as slowed growth and increased competition, and unique struggles specific to Epic, including delivering consistent Fortnite experiences and a full mobile experience for smartphone users. The layoffs come after Epic raised the price of its in-game currency, V-Bucks, to help cover operating costs. Sweeney dismissed speculation that the cuts were related to the increasing adoption of generative AI across the industry, stating that Epic wants to hire more developers to improve productivity. This is not the first time Epic has laid off staff; in 2023, the company cut around 16% of its workforce due to similar struggles.