In a shocking turn of events, Epic Games, the creator of popular video game Fortnite, announced that it will be laying off nearly 900 employees. This news sent shockwaves through the gaming industry, as even the developers at the highly successful Fortnite were not spared. To make matters worse, Epic Games decided to re-release the “Share The Wealth” emote in the game’s in-game shop on the same day as the layoffs were announced. This move was met with criticism from Fortnite news accounts and players, who felt that it was inappropriate and insensitive to sell the emote after firing so many employees.
According to reports, the “Share The Wealth” emote was only available for a brief period before it was removed from the store. Epic Games claimed that it was a pre-scheduled release and that the mistake was realized and rectified within an hour. However, the timing of the emote’s release and the subsequent layoffs raised questions about the company’s handling of cost-cutting and the priorities of its leadership. Many former employees and players expressed their anger and disappointment on social media, criticizing Epic Games for its greed and insensitivity.
Despite the layoffs, Epic Games continues to invest in other ventures such as the Epic Games Store, a competitor to popular gaming platform Steam. The company has been offering free games to players as a way to attract users to the store. However, the layoffs and the timing of the emote’s release have renewed discussions about how companies handle cost-cutting measures and who bears the brunt of the consequences when financial gambles do not pay off. It remains to be seen how this controversy will affect the reputation and future of Epic Games.