--- title: "Unity Lays Off 25% of Employees | Metaintro" canonical: "https://beta.metaintro.com/blog/unity-video-game-software-giant-cuts-workforce-1800-jobs" language: "en" author: "henryrussel" published: "2024-01-09T00:00:00.000Z" modified: "2024-08-25T23:03:25.913Z" --- [Back to Blog](/blog) [Information](/blog/tag/information)[News](/blog/tag/news)[Technology](/blog/tag/technology) # Unity Lays Off 25% of Employees This layoff announcement marks the first mass employee reduction for 2024 within the industry. [![Henry Russell](https://cdn.metaintro.com/rs:fill:40:40/q:72/plain/images/f5e58760-861d-453c-8acc-e70ec1958bd8_1766029465093.png)Henry Russell @henryrussell](/blog/author/henryrussel) [January 9, 2024](/blog/archive/2024/01)2 min read ![1f0aa2ba-14b7-4604-b967-b15d9de0e22d.png](https://cdn.metaintro.com/rs:fill:1200:675/q:78/plain/images/1f0aa2ba-14b7-4604-b967-b15d9de0e22d.png) [https://x.com/intent/tweet?text=Unity%20Lays%20Off%2025%25%20of%20Employees&url=https%3A%2F%2Fbeta.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Funity-video-game-software-giant-cuts-workforce-1800-jobs](https://x.com/intent/tweet?text=Unity%20Lays%20Off%2025%25%20of%20Employees&url=https%3A%2F%2Fbeta.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Funity-video-game-software-giant-cuts-workforce-1800-jobs)[http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fbeta.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Funity-video-game-software-giant-cuts-workforce-1800-jobs](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fbeta.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Funity-video-game-software-giant-cuts-workforce-1800-jobs)[https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbeta.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Funity-video-game-software-giant-cuts-workforce-1800-jobs&title=Unity%20Lays%20Off%2025%25%20of%20Employees](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbeta.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Funity-video-game-software-giant-cuts-workforce-1800-jobs&title=Unity%20Lays%20Off%2025%25%20of%20Employees)[mailto:?subject=Unity%20Lays%20Off%2025%25%20of%20Employees&body=https%3A%2F%2Fbeta.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Funity-video-game-software-giant-cuts-workforce-1800-jobs](mailto:?subject=Unity%20Lays%20Off%2025%25%20of%20Employees&body=https%3A%2F%2Fbeta.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Funity-video-game-software-giant-cuts-workforce-1800-jobs) Yesterday, [Unity](https://unity.com/), a leading video game software company, disclosed plans to reduce its workforce by approximately 25%, which amounts to 1,800 positions. This decision, revealed in a regulatory filing and an internal memo, marks the company's most significant reduction to date and is expected to be finalized by the end of March. The San Francisco-based company, known for its essential software tools used by over 1.1 million game developers monthly, including creators of renowned games like "Pokemon Go," "Beat Saber," and "Hearthstone," experienced a near 5% increase in share value following the announcement. The forthcoming job cuts will span across various teams and departments. This move follows a statement made by the interim CEO, Jim Whitehurst, in November about a strategic "company reset," aimed at sharpening the focus on key areas to enhance long-term success and profitability. Amidst these changes, Whitehurst has not elaborated on specific structural adjustments, but a spokesperson indicated further modifications are on the horizon. Notably, this is the fourth wave of layoffs since July 2022, reflecting a challenging phase for Unity. Last year, the company faced backlash over a proposed "runtime fee" pricing model, leading to a drop in share prices and a subsequent policy revision. This incident preceded the retirement of then-CEO John Riccitiello, ushering in Whitehurst as interim CEO and Roelof Botha, a Sequoia Capital partner, as board chairman. The initial phase of Unity's reorganization included ending a collaboration with a visual effects company and altering workplace policies. The recent layoffs represent a continuation of this strategy. Unity, founded nearly two decades ago by a trio of Danish engineers, gained widespread acclaim for its user-friendly game engine, facilitating game development across diverse platforms. Beyond gaming, it's utilized in sectors like film and automotive for 3D visualization and virtual reality. Despite a successful IPO in 2020 and a peak stock value in 2021, Unity's shares have seen significant fluctuations, only recently rebounding by around 40% following the announcement of the corporate restructuring. ### Share this article [https://x.com/intent/tweet?text=Unity%20Lays%20Off%2025%25%20of%20Employees&url=https%3A%2F%2Fbeta.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Funity-video-game-software-giant-cuts-workforce-1800-jobs](https://x.com/intent/tweet?text=Unity%20Lays%20Off%2025%25%20of%20Employees&url=https%3A%2F%2Fbeta.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Funity-video-game-software-giant-cuts-workforce-1800-jobs)[http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fbeta.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Funity-video-game-software-giant-cuts-workforce-1800-jobs](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fbeta.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Funity-video-game-software-giant-cuts-workforce-1800-jobs)[https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbeta.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Funity-video-game-software-giant-cuts-workforce-1800-jobs&title=Unity%20Lays%20Off%2025%25%20of%20Employees](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbeta.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Funity-video-game-software-giant-cuts-workforce-1800-jobs&title=Unity%20Lays%20Off%2025%25%20of%20Employees)[mailto:?subject=Unity%20Lays%20Off%2025%25%20of%20Employees&body=https%3A%2F%2Fbeta.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Funity-video-game-software-giant-cuts-workforce-1800-jobs](mailto:?subject=Unity%20Lays%20Off%2025%25%20of%20Employees&body=https%3A%2F%2Fbeta.metaintro.com%2Fblog%2Funity-video-game-software-giant-cuts-workforce-1800-jobs) ![](https://cdn.metaintro.com/rs:fill:1200:800/q:30/plain/images/bridges/bridge-expand.1df895c6bd76d96f.png) For job seekers ## Ready to find a role that actually fits? Upload your résumé, start a Job Search Thread, and let Metaintro rank real openings against your experience — then guide you from search to offer. [Get Started Free](/signup)[Search matching jobs](/jobs/search) Match Compare live roles against your current evidence. Position Turn proof projects into role-specific applications. Improve Use market feedback to keep the skill plan current. [Return to navigation](#main-navigation)