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[lefty1117]

Can buy Activision for tens of billions but can't support employees for a year while the economy recovers

As long as shareholders get their dividends, right? Shareholders are the core evil, the sauron of capitalism, all other heartless acts by corporates ultimately derive from them

 

[prinz_valium]

Glad 343i is hit with layoffs.
Way oversized for it's output.

 

[hlm666]

Not sure why we don't have a thread for this, come on chop chop think of the poor workers they need your concern aswell.

First Quarter 2023 Layoff Tracker: Meta, Amazon, Twitter, Twilio Make Cuts

Amazon, Alphabet, Meta, Salesforce and Yahoo have all slashed staff this year, citing cloudy economic forecasts.

www.forbes.com

 

[dorkimoe]

Wait till ai and automation advance far enough. The dream for these megacorps is to ultimately cut 75% of their workforce in favor of machines that don’t pee, don’t need Christmas off, and don’t get sick.

Yeah iwas just reading up on that earlier. Its so fucking depressing. I just have to make it another 20 years lol

 

[Kacho]

Not sure why we don't have a thread for this, come on chop chop think of the poor workers they need your concern aswell.

First Quarter 2023 Layoff Tracker: Meta, Amazon, Twitter, Twilio Make Cuts

Amazon, Alphabet, Meta, Salesforce and Yahoo have all slashed staff this year, citing cloudy economic forecasts.

www.forbes.com

Lol the peanut gallery here don’t actually care

 

[Topher]

Not sure why we don't have a thread for this, come on chop chop think of the poor workers they need your concern aswell.

First Quarter 2023 Layoff Tracker: Meta, Amazon, Twitter, Twilio Make Cuts

Amazon, Alphabet, Meta, Salesforce and Yahoo have all slashed staff this year, citing cloudy economic forecasts.

www.forbes.com

You can't start threads?

 

[reinking]

Not sure why we don't have a thread for this, come on chop chop think of the poor workers they need your concern aswell.

http://[URL]https://www.forbes.com/...obs-as-2023-layoffs-continue/?sh=1fd6f0c356fd

[/URL]

They do deserve concern. It sucks for anyone that gets let go by a company.

I would guess the reason there is not thread here about it is Microsoft is a big player in the video game market. Xbox layoffs are going to impact more of us than Googles layoffs will.

 

[Topher]

They do deserve concern. It sucks for anyone that gets let go by a company.

I would guess the reason there is not thread here about it is Microsoft is a big player in the video game market. Xbox layoffs are going to impact more of us than Googles layoffs will.

Exactly. Google closing down Stadia was a thirteen page thread.

https://www.neogaf.com/threads/google-is-closing-down-its-stadia-cloud-streaming-service.1642215/

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

I wish the best for all the released employees in these difficult times. Sadly, most corporations do not care about the well being of their employees which are essentially the heart of the company’s operations and only think about the almighty dollar. I’m even hearing that Microsoft is seriously looking into AI to help with game development which will inevitably just put more people out of work. These layoffs are happening way too often recently.

 

[DCharlie]

Wait till ai and automation advance far enough. The dream for these megacorps is to ultimately cut 75% of their workforce in favor of machines that don’t pee, don’t need Christmas off, and don’t get sick.

Yup, the only issue is - when they hit this corporate nirvana - no one will have jobs in order to generate the cash to buy their products.

 

[MysticalChaos]

343 Industries affected in a major way, Bethesda Game Studios affected, The Coalition (Gears of War) affected. Unity, Riot Games, and Probably Monsters also had layoffs

 

[Coulomb_Barrier]

Wait till ai and automation advance far enough. The dream for these megacorps is to ultimately cut 75% of their workforce in favor of machines that don’t pee, don’t need Christmas off, and don’t get sick.

I do worry about the younger generation honestly. What jobs are they going to have in 10-15 years. For example some companies (CNET iirc) are already using AI to write 'articles' (news/clickbait). 90% of journalism will be gone.

As for megacorps, they'll be at cutting edge of AI deployment and like you said, the endpoint is that $30-40bn yearly PROFIT MSFT enjoys is filtered into the pockets of like 100 individuals at the company, as the rest is automated/AI.

 

[LRKD]

I mean that gives us literally no clue how many people who work in the gaming devisions are effected, and hell what kind of employees, for all we know this is just the janitors. Without more info it's hard to care

 

[hlm666]

I would guess the reason there is not thread here about it is Microsoft is a big player in the video game market. Xbox layoffs are going to impact more of us than Googles layoffs will.

The article talks about more than Google, like Amazon dropping the axe on 18k people. Yeh they own twitch and Amazon game studios but alas again no one gives a shit I wonder why that is hmmmmm.

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

Not sure why we don't have a thread for this, come on chop chop think of the poor workers they need your concern aswell.

http://[URL]https://www.forbes.com/...obs-as-2023-layoffs-continue/?sh=1fd6f0c356fd

[/URL]

Oh shit, Capital One cutting jobs too? Which publisher are they acquiring?

 

[Three]

The article talks about more than Google, like Amazon dropping the axe on 18k people. Yeh they own twitch and Amazon game studios but alas again no one gives a shit I wonder why that is hmmmmm.

If you have news that Amazon had layoffs including Twitch and Amazon game studio employees then post it in gaming and I'm sure people will discuss it too. It's not that people don't give a shit. It's that nobody has created the thread.

 

[Coulomb_Barrier]

I mean that gives us literally no clue how many people who work in the gaming devisions are effected, and hell what kind of employees, for all we know this is just the janitors. Without more info it's hard to care

What, the 343 art director said he lost 30 artists, and he was let go too.

 

[Fuz]

This is why we need a revolution to bring down capitalism before it's too late.

Just kidding, it's already too late. We should still have one toh!

 

[Badlucktroll]

I hope they didnt lay off bug fixers at bethesda

 

[PhillMeCream]

downsizing Bethesda when they're supposed to be making star field and Elden scrolls
tsk tsk that's not a good idea

 

[reinking]

The article talks about more than Google, like Amazon dropping the axe on 18k people. Yeh they own twitch and Amazon game studios but alas again no one gives a shit I wonder why that is hmmmmm.

This the why.

 

[jm89]

This is why we need a revolution to bring down capitalism before it's too late.

Don't say too much comrade, they are watching.

 

[Gavon West]

Painful for those losing their jobs but the covid boom is over and many business hired a lot of staff to cover the increase on business.

Things are settling now and a reset is happening but this does not look good when you're out here looking to buy a publisher for 70 bill.

This is just business. Why are people acting as if this is a "Xbox" thing. Microsoft made the call. Phil has to answer to people above him. Other mega corps are laying off even more people than Microsoft. Way more!

It's a reset from all the people they hired during COVID. Things are settling now so, it's time to make cuts. Sucks huge, but....

Hopefully these guys find work ASAP. Best of luck to all affected

 

[damidu]

The article talks about more than Google, like Amazon dropping the axe on 18k people. Yeh they own twitch and Amazon game studios but alas again no one gives a shit I wonder why that is hmmmmm.

is this supposed to be the infamous xbox fanboy persecution complex? lol

 

[Mr Reasonable]

Exactly. Google closing down Stadia was a thirteen page thread.

https://www.neogaf.com/threads/google-is-closing-down-its-stadia-cloud-streaming-service.1642215/

Where does the concern for the devs and criticism of Google begin? Seems no fucks were given then.

What's different this time?

 

[Topher]

Where does the concern for the devs and criticism of Google begin? Seems no fucks were given then.

What's different this time?

What devs? Stadia was a cloud service. Google received a ton of criticism for how they handled Stadia.

Either way, Google was never a major player in gaming and Microsoft is.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

Where does the concern for the devs and criticism of Google begin? Seems no fucks were given then.

What's different this time?

not even tech-formus give a shit. why?

 

[PharaoTutAnchAmun]

The article talks about more than Google, like Amazon dropping the axe on 18k people. Yeh they own twitch and Amazon game studios but alas again no one gives a shit I wonder why that is hmmmmm.

Amazon dropping flexworkers that they needed during the pandemic...everyone was buying stuff online. Now that al is turning to normal the dont need al does flexworkers anymore, thats not the same situation whats going by MS.

 

[DaGwaphics]

This is just business. Why are people acting as if this is a "Xbox" thing. Microsoft made the call. Phil has to answer to people above him. Other mega corps are laying off even more people than Microsoft. Way more!

It's a reset from all the people they hired during COVID. Things are settling now so, it's time to make cuts. Sucks huge, but....

Hopefully these guys find work ASAP. Best of luck to all affected

It's unbelievable how some basic truths can be completely lost on people. I was just reading a hilarious negative article about Amazon, they even mentioned how much Amazon had increased warehouse staff during the pandemic, but still don't bother to figure that into these reductions at all. LOL Like, maybe people were shopping on there a bit more when they were just about locked in their houses.

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

Not sure why we don't have a thread for this, come on chop chop think of the poor workers they need your concern aswell.

First Quarter 2023 Layoff Tracker: Meta, Amazon, Twitter, Twilio Make Cuts

Amazon, Alphabet, Meta, Salesforce and Yahoo have all slashed staff this year, citing cloudy economic forecasts.

www.forbes.com

Google has virtually no footprint in console gaming. That's why.

Considering the Xbox division is facing a decent chunk of these layoffs (and potentially more; it's continuing through March), obviously it's going to be more a thing for gamers that Microsoft's cutting jobs than a company like Google.

All of them are basically doing it for the same reasons though: maximize profit margins and please shareholders.

 

[Dane]

Google has virtually no footprint in console gaming. That's why.

Considering the Xbox division is facing a decent chunk of these layoffs (and potentially more; it's continuing through March), obviously it's going to be more a thing for gamers that Microsoft's cutting jobs than a company like Google.

All of them are basically doing it for the same reasons though: maximize profit margins and please shareholders.

I'd imagine that the almost all of the layoffs are in the non-xbox sectors by 95%.

 

[WitchHunter]

Dinosaur entered the mud pool, ticks and other parasites offed.

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

Yup, the only issue is - when they hit this corporate nirvana - no one will have jobs in order to generate the cash to buy their products.

That would be the point. They don't want people to be self-sufficient, but rather dependent on things like UBI (Universal Basic Income), probably tied to a social credit system and that's on top of the current credit system. And they would probably use something like ESG ratings conceptually to then spin that out into a social credit system for the population as a whole.

A rather frightening timeline honestly. Hopefully it never manifests.

I'd imagine that the almost all of the layoffs are in the non-xbox sectors by 95%.

Maybe, maybe not, and that's just for now. More layoffs are coming, through March, this has already been communicated.

Whether it's a tiny fraction from Xbox or not isn't as important as the positions being let go. And don't forget, other employees could leave too either in reaction or preemptively (in fact I think some like Mike Brown & co's departures were preemptive to some degree, even if not because their own positions would've been cut but rather just not wanting to be around the corporate environment making these types of cuts).

 

[Trogdor1123]

That would be the point. They don't want people to be self-sufficient, but rather dependent on things like UBI (Universal Basic Income), probably tied to a social credit system and that's on top of the current credit system. And they would probably use something like ESG ratings conceptually to then spin that out into a social credit system for the population as a whole.

A rather frightening timeline honestly. Hopefully it never manifests.



Maybe, maybe not, and that's just for now. More layoffs are coming, through March, this has already been communicated.

Whether it's a tiny fraction from Xbox or not isn't as important as the positions being let go. And don't forget, other employees could leave too either in reaction or preemptively (in fact I think some like Mike Brown & co's departures were preemptive to some degree, even if not because their own positions would've been cut but rather just not wanting to be around the corporate environment making these types of cuts).

I agree, ubi is terrifying to me. It is straight out of 1984.

Nothing is ever free people

 

[Badlucktroll]

Imagine having a decent position at a good game company and being thrilled when microsoft buys you... then bam... laid off

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Can buy Activision for tens of billions but can't support employees for a year while the economy recovers

As long as shareholders get their dividends, right? Shareholders are the core evil, the sauron of capitalism, all other heartless acts by corporates ultimately derive from them

It can be argued dividends are good because shit loads of people own shares. Not just directly but in investment index funds which most people have in some form. I own stocks that pay dividends like millions of other people. Nothing wrong with getting a small pay out every quarter. Better me than them hoarding it.

If companies didn't pay them out, they'd literally just hoard billions more dollars stuck in their corporate bank account earning interest making them even richer.

I just a ballpark calculation on how much dividends have been paid out. Their history shows $22 worth. Add in the special $3 dividend that they gave 15-20 years ago. So that's $25 of dividends in history.

Microsoft Investor Relations - Dividends and Stock History

The company has had I'd say a ballpark number of shares since that $3 dividend of 9 billion shares to use as an average. It was 10 billion back then but 7.7 billion now, so they must had bought back shares over the years. I went in the middle for sake of argument to estimate a number. 9 billion x $25 = $225 billion dividends given out to anyone holding MS shares directly or in a retirement fund. I dont own MS shares directly, but I'm sure my boring index funds I own that is supposed to follow the major indexes has some MS in them.

Better us than MS adding $225 billion to their pile.

 

[lefty1117]

It can be argued dividends are good because shit loads of people own shares. Not just directly but in investment index funds which most people have in some form. I own stocks that pay dividends like millions of other people. Nothing wrong with getting a small pay out every quarter. Better me than them hoarding it.

If companies didn't pay them out, they'd literally just hoard billions more dollars stuck in their corporate bank account earning interest making them even richer.

I just a ballpark calculation on how much dividends have been paid out. Their history shows $22 worth. Add in the special $3 dividend that they gave 15-20 years ago. So that's $25 of dividends in history.

http://[URL]https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/Investor/dividends-and-stock-history.aspx

[/URL]

The company has had I'd say a ballpark number of shares since that $3 dividend of 9 billion shares to use as an average. It was 10 billion back then but 7.7 billion now, so they must had bought back shares over the years. I went in the middle for sake of argument to estimate a number. 9 billion x $25 = $225 billion dividends given out to anyone holding MS shares directly or in a retirement fund. I dont own MS shares directly, but I'm sure my boring index funds I own that is supposed to follow the major indexes has some MS in them.

Better us than MS adding $225 billion to their pile.

weird investor logic

"better that we get profits than the company hold onto it"

 

[StreetsofBeige]

weird investor logic

"better that we get profits than the company hold onto it"

Great investor logic. Thats how you make money. I can tell you dont invest in stocks.

 

[lefty1117]

Great investor logic. Thats how you make money. I can tell you dont invest in stocks.

Of course not, I have a soul

 

[Mibu no ookami]

343 Industries affected in a major way, Bethesda Game Studios affected, The Coalition (Gears of War) affected. Unity, Riot Games, and Probably Monsters also had layoffs

Where did you hear that ProbablyMonsters had layoffs?

 

[Heisenberg007]

Where did you hear that ProbablyMonsters had layoffs?

Yeah, I searched after reading his comment and couldn't find anything. Ironically, found this news:

ProbablyMonsters Grows 65% in 2022, Adding Remote Hiring in 47 States

BELLEVUE, Wash., November 02, 2022--ProbablyMonsters Grows 65% in 2022, Adding Remote Hiring in 47 States

finance.yahoo.com

 

[remember_spinal]

Where did you hear that ProbablyMonsters had layoffs?

I think only a couple people got laid off there

 

[Mibu no ookami]

Yeah, I searched after reading his comment and couldn't find anything. Ironically, found this news:

ProbablyMonsters Grows 65% in 2022, Adding Remote Hiring in 47 States

BELLEVUE, Wash., November 02, 2022--ProbablyMonsters Grows 65% in 2022, Adding Remote Hiring in 47 States

finance.yahoo.com

Yeah, they're hiring big time and so is their subsidiary Firewalk.

I think between Firewalk and Deviation. Things are going better at Firewalk.

 

[Heisenberg007]

Yeah, they're hiring big time and so is their subsidiary Firewalk.

I think between Firewalk and Deviation. Things are going better at Firewalk.

Yes, that game is farther ahead, at least. I'm very confident we'll see Firewalk's game in action this year. Internally, it's scheduled for release in 2024.

 

[GhostOfTsu]

not even tech-formus give a shit. why?

There are no "google fans", "facebook fans" or "amazon fans", only MS gets that privilege.