Sony PlayStation Studios Hit by Widespread Layoffs

Layoffs impact Visual Arts and Malaysia support studios, following game cancellations and restructuring efforts.

Sony has laid off numerous employees across its Visual Arts studio in San Diego and its Malaysian support studio, with reports describing the cuts as widespread.
The layoffs include staff who worked on recently canceled projects, such as Bend Studio's live service game, but extend beyond these projects.
The Visual Arts studio, known for its work on The Last of Us and other major projects, provides art, animation, and technical support for Sony's first-party studios.
This follows other recent cancellations, including a rumored God of War live service project at Bluepoint Games, as Sony refocuses its development strategies.
The restructuring reflects broader cost-cutting trends in the gaming industry, with rising development costs and a shift toward outsourcing and co-development models.