Embracer Reduced Workforce by 1,800 Employees Last Year

Oh man, where do I even start with this? So, Embracer Group, this European gaming company—kind of a big deal—just lost like 1,800 people over the last year. That’s a lot, right? I stumbled across this nugget in their annual report and, honestly, it hit me like, wait, what? Almost like hearing gravel crunch underfoot when you’re lost in thought. Anyway, whatever.

And get this, the previous year, about 1,400 employees waved goodbye too. Kind of feels like a revolving door at this point. But the kicker? Not everyone got laid off. Apparently, they sold some studios too, like Gearbox and Saber Interactive. So it’s not just cuts—but hey, who keeps track here?

What’s wild is this might be the fallout from some big restructuring craziness. Picture this: they were banking on a multi-billion dollar investment from Saudi Arabia’s Savvy Group, and then… nope, doesn’t happen. Like planning a picnic and it rains. Classic.

And then things get real twisty. Embracer’s splitting into three companies, like one of those puzzles you can’t figure out (or maybe I’m just bad at puzzles). Lars Wingefors—the CEO guy—ends up stepping back, letting some Square Enix dude, Phil Rogers, take the wheel. I mean, change is constant (or however that saying goes).

Lars even wrote this super heartfelt letter to shareholders. You know, one of those “I’ve learned so much” type things. Honestly, sounds like he’s handing it over with crossed fingers and a “good luck, buddy” to Phil. But hey, he’s still sticking around, focusing on growth and other fancy business words.

You think they’ll turn things around? Who knows. Maybe they’ll hit a home run, or maybe it’s just another chapter in the book of unpredictable gaming universe drama. So yeah, that’s the tea—or the coffee—take your pick.