Sony Implements Staff Reductions at Visual Arts and PS Studios Malaysia

According to recent reports, Sony's Visual Arts and PS Studios Malaysia have experienced significant staff cuts. An undisclosed number of employees at Visual Arts were reportedly let go, with their last day at the company set for March 7. These layoffs allegedly affected developers who were working on a live-service game that was recently cancelled by Bend Studios. Additionally, PS Studios Malaysia has also seen layoffs, as confirmed by a LinkedIn post from former senior project manager Johann Affendy Mahfoor, who expressed sadness over the loss of high-performing and key individuals. The situation has been described as 'widespread' and has affected employees who were actively working on projects. Sony has been contacted for further comment and clarification. Established in 2020, PS Studios Malaysia collaborated with Visual Arts to provide support to first-party PS studios, including recent work with Naughty Dog on The Last Of Us Part 1 and 2 remasters. Former employees have taken to LinkedIn to share their experiences, including Chris Clyde and Lewis Labram, who were both part of the layoffs. Abby LeMaster, a former project manager at Visual Arts and current senior lead producer at Riot Games R&D, expressed her thoughts on the situation, highlighting the loss of talent and expertise at Visual Arts.