Sony cuts 8000 jobs, SCE division under review
by Jem Alexander 
{ Dec 9th 2008 at 8:30AM }
At the moment, this has no effect on the Sony Computer Entertainment division, which is separate from Sony's electronics division. Though SCE has told GameIndustry.biz that the division is, along with the rest of the company, under review. With analysts saying that these 8000 jobs won't be enough, there's a chance that more cutbacks could be made as part of this corporate review, which has the potential to affect SCE and the PlayStation brand. We'll be keeping our eyes open for any developments.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
michael @ Dec 9th 2008 9:10AM
Heard about this on Kotaku. This economic downfall is doing serious damage almost everywhere, this makes me sad that we're going to repeat the 1930's.
JaffaBoy @ Dec 9th 2008 9:24AM
No one jumping from their office windows yet.....
Colby Martin @ Dec 9th 2008 9:10AM
I hope those damn oil bastards are happy. With their little oh $100 a barrel is too cheap. Yeah, blame the oil industry for all of this economic shit. I wish I lived close enough that I could walk or ride my bike to everything, I'm so tired of supporting a group of people who have screwed me over in every way possible. Oil has no reason ever to cost that much. We've used it for years, and never have we needed it to cost more than it did. They just got really greedy and realized that all of their pocketing of profits were catching up when their factories were failing. Then in a fit of greed they raised the prices and said they were losing money. When is a billion dollar profit not enough Exxon? It's all their greed that's led to this time in the world. Fact is, it's everyone's greed. This world is oh so greedy. Why can't we just worry about service rather than profit? Hopefully things change soon, cause this shit is getting ridiculous. I have to read about thousands of job cuts everyday, and as a college student..it makes me sick. Can someone please save this world?
Christian @ Dec 9th 2008 9:29AM
Actually the high oil prices probably has done more good in terms of saving our environment than any international or national policy so far. Until the use of carbon fuels is priced at a level where the damage they do to the environment in reflected, cleaner sources of energy have a hard time taking over. Personally I would love it if oil went back to 150USD a barrel as that is probably the only way to avoid the world (and especially the US) chocking itself with green house gasses and pollution. Will the transition be painful? Yes, without a doubt, but quieting a damaging addiction is never easy.
Apmaddock @ Dec 9th 2008 9:47AM
"Until the use of carbon fuels is priced at a level where the damage they do to the environment in reflected, cleaner sources of energy have a hard time taking over."
Until the quality of newer, cleaner and more efficient energy uses becomes like that of the older type, (I'm looking at you, CFLs) they're going to have a very hard time taking over.
Jack Tretton @ Dec 9th 2008 8:42AM
"We won't insult your intelligence by telling you that the current global economic climate is a bit cloudy and that companies are closing and making cutbacks left, right and center. Actually, we just did, but we did it in a way that suggests that you already know it."
Long-winded blogger is long-winded. Ever heard of editing for brevity?
michael @ Dec 9th 2008 9:11AM
Heard about this on Kotaku. Sad that they have to cut about 8000 jobs. This economic downfall had a serious tolls on every company. First it's the auto industry, then will video game come next. We're repeating what happen in the 1930's.
Jonathan @ Dec 9th 2008 12:20PM
I don't think they had video games in the 30's :-)
lookhappy @ Dec 9th 2008 8:46AM
oh dear! Gaming can't die!
I still don't quite get how this is all happeneing. Everyone I know is still spending just as much on gaming, if not more than they did before....
Someone is theiving monies from the pockets of the big corporate firms! I blame napster! hahaha
DeathroW @ Dec 9th 2008 9:27AM
Sony is involved in alot more than gaming and employ just under 180,000 people - so its not as bad as it seems considering their huge size.
PSN: REBEL21 @ Dec 9th 2008 8:46AM
Wow :(
Tony @ Dec 9th 2008 9:10AM
"Long-winded blogger is long-winded. Ever heard of editing for brevity?"
Should have read:
"Ever heard of editing for brevity?" just for the sake of brevity.
superklye @ Dec 9th 2008 6:05PM
Nice.
bigpurps @ Dec 9th 2008 9:18AM
horray george bush way to go
Apmaddock @ Dec 9th 2008 9:56AM
Riiiight. Must've been why the economic state of the country/world got so much brighter after Obama was elected president. Oh, wait, nevermind.
Not that I'm a huge Bush supporter, I'm definitely not, but we're not headed down any happier path now.
Let the political debate commence!
Sigh.
turkeybaster @ Dec 9th 2008 2:24PM
Uhhh, It's hard to enact real economic change when you won't be in charge for another month and a half.
benjaminhain1 @ Dec 9th 2008 2:37PM
I'm speaking of the global excitement which so many predicted for the election of Obama. He's been seen as such a worldwide super hero that it's shocking that the simple word of his election hasn't spurred the economy into the right gear. Or that the promise of a new direction with him at the helm hasn't done the same. Or that the world's expectation of his economic policies hasn't done this.
Or perhaps those who actually run large companies realize that Obama's economic plan is likely to deepen the depression/downturn/recession/whateveryouwannacallit that's already begun.
That's my take. I'm a realist. I know that no one man can change the face of a nation so greatly as many others believe. And my political beliefs tell me that many of the changes that come from the Obama presidency are unlikely to be positive ones.
Kspraydad @ Dec 9th 2008 9:22AM
Sony has been downsizing ever since Stringer came to power. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4270302.stm 8,000 more positions is hardly surprising. BTW, there are an additional 8k contract/temp jobs on the table too.
Wipeoutt31 @ Dec 9th 2008 12:47PM
Good thing Sony got rid of all the robot stuff years ago.
steve mcgowan @ Dec 9th 2008 9:28AM
well as the marketing division (for the ps3) has done nothing i suggest they get rid of them first...
RPMd70 @ Dec 9th 2008 9:39AM
hmm... i would possibly second that notion.
Tony @ Dec 9th 2008 9:53AM
Because they aren't running a ton of commericials during most major tv shows, or renting ad space on website(collegehumor.com ha a LBP ad on it for a long time) or doing print ads(pick up a gaming mag this month 3 of the first 6 will be a PS brand ad) nope they aren't doing a good job at all
Dan Rabot @ Dec 9th 2008 9:39AM
This is such a shame. The capitalist world is "eating itself".
Sucks that it hits the high value high quality companies first.
The Aggie CEO @ Dec 9th 2008 9:48AM
the times we are in.....
I hate for it to happen..know the feeling all to well......I was @ K-mart 8 years ago when they were in trouble......lots of my friends and co-workers were let go and I wasnt......
I just hope it doesnt cut down on business....
tretle @ Dec 9th 2008 4:33PM
They can start with their web design employees. Its insane that they have hired different people for different divisions working on different designs for different regions. Its a waste of resources, time and money.
Its a fine example of how recreating the wheel is not a good idea for your brand or revenue.
They should have one group of web designers working on one site design. This design should be used in all regions. The only people that should be hired for specific regions are people in charge of creating content for the site and translations.
The playstation websites should be a unified experience across all regions and any new features in design should be released in all regions at the same time. This is currently impossible if there are different designs.
Been saying this for quiet some time, maybe now they will listen.
michael @ Dec 9th 2008 5:46PM
uh Jonathon, I never said video game were made in the 1930's. I think you are confused, I'm comparing the economic downfall (not the job cut in Sony) to the Great Depressions in the 1930's. I study history for a long time, I'm comparing the economic slowdowns to the 1930's not Sony job cut.
-slycooper_rocker- (lorddshadow the amazing) psn: shahanasalam @ Dec 9th 2008 5:48PM
lets hope they don't lay off anymore people (riiiiight)
Brian Lambert @ Dec 9th 2008 9:18PM
Well, I just found out today how bad are economy really is. I run my own Block Buster Video store. My store is one of three in the area. We are franchise locations under ownership of a guy named "Mike".
My district manager came into town today to meet up with myself and the other two store managers to let us know that all 16 Block Buster Video stores that he owns are going out of business. Our final day of business will be January 9th.
I really like my job and will miss it. With the way every company is on a hiring freeze right now, and no full-time positions being offered, I am very worried about what my future holds. Hopefully things turn around quick. Block Buster needs a gov't. bail-out plan lol