Playtika, the mobile developer behind games like Bingo Blitz and World Series of Poker, has announced plans for mass layoffs at the company.
In an SEC filing on Wednesday, the company revealed its plans to cut staff as part of company-wide restructuring.
Playtika says that the decision comes “as part of a larger adjustment to the company’s cost structure and reallocation of
resources within its portfolio of games.” Overall, the company is looking to let go around 15% of its staff during the first quarter of 2026.
That amounts to roughly 450-500 employees for a company with over 3,000 employees globally.
What Playtika Told Employees About The Layoffs
As part of the SEC filing, Playtika provided the email that CEO Robert Antokol sent to staff announcing the decision.
In his email, Antokol said that it “was not made lightly” and that it reflects a “fundamental shift in how we operate so we can invest in the future and remain a leader in a highly competitive mobile games market.”
“For years, we operated with a broad growth mindset, applying similar resourcing models across our portfolio of games,” Antokol said. “The economic reality of our industry has shifted.”
He continued to say that if the company didn’t adjust their strategy, it would compromise its “ability to invest in tomorrow”.
As far as what the future holds for Playtika, Antokol said that the company is “moving away from headcount-heavy operations to streamlined teams powered by AI and automation.”
He said that with this move, it allows Playtika to offer clearer career paths and better compensation to the employees being kept. For those being let go, Antokol said that they are “committed to treating all impacted employees with respect and compassion.” All employees will be given severance packages and “support to help ease this transition”.
What do you think of the layoffs at Playtika seeing nearly 500 people lose their jobs, and the company’s plan to leverage AI and automation moving forward? Leave your thoughts down below, and join the discussion in the official Insider Gaming Discord.
For more Insider Gaming, read about Ubisoft cutting nearly 30 jobs at its Abu Dhabi office late last year. And don’t forget to sign up for our weekly newsletter.
Mike has been covering the gaming industry since 2012, and has reported on some of the largest events in the industry while also working as an investigative reporter. Outside of…
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