EA Japan GM Criticizes Microsoft Layoffs And Cancellations As Harmful To The Industry

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Last week, Microsoft unveiled significant job cuts and reorganization plans, primarily affecting its Xbox branch. As a result, several games were scrapped and projects lost funding, leading to thousands of employees being dismissed. This decision sparked broad criticism and an emotional response from the gaming industry, with EA Japan’s general manager, Shaun Noguchi, among those expressing disapproval.

In his own words, Noguchi expressed his dismay about the ongoing layoffs and project cancellations on platform X (translated from Japanese by IGN). He lamented that the focus of Western companies on immediate profits, often at the expense of long-term benefits or stability, is causing harm to the entire game industry. In a poignant statement, he emphasized that the game industry relies on every developer and staff member who tirelessly creates games. As a fellow industry participant, Noguchi shared his profound sorrow about this situation.

Later on, Noguchi emphasized (in English) that Microsoft’s choice to abandon projects they had been developing for a long time was truly unfortunate. While companies often terminate projects to minimize losses and steer clear of the sunk-cost fallacy, Noguchi voiced his worry about the employees who would have no public evidence of their efforts. “In my view, if a game has been under development for 7 to 10 years, canceling seems like the most disheartening decision. That’s a whole decade of work, which could represent a quarter of an individual’s entire career, simply vanishing,” he contended. “Even if the final product doesn’t meet initial expectations, I still believe it should be released. A completed project is better than no project at all, for both the team and the players.

Noguchi’s observations might be shaped by Japan’s culture and laws that prioritize corporate stability and safeguard employees extensively. Compared to their Western counterparts, Japanese developers have experienced significantly less downsizing in recent times. It’s quite typical for Japanese workers to remain loyal to a single employer throughout their professional lives.

Over the last couple of years, Noguchi’s company, an American corporation, has been widely known for reducing its workforce and canceling various projects, including games. In late May, EA announced the cancellation of their Black Panther game and let go of some employees; this move came after reports of EA cancelling a Titanfall project and laying off 300 people in April.

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2025-07-10 17:39