Games Workshop workers have found £2,500 under their trees.
Image credit: Saber Interactive, Games Workshop | Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
This has been a tough year for many people, especially in the game and tech industries. We've seen countless layoffs in various companies, including Embracer, Intel, Amazon, Bungie, Unity, Epic Games, and more. Some sources say that over 6,000 positions have been eliminated in 2023 in the game industry only, and it's hard to imagine how many people have lost their jobs in other fields.
Amid this storm of layoffs, it's refreshingly surprising to see some studios giving their employees sizeable cash bonuses, as Games Workshop has done. The company behind the tabletop games Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 has made its workers happy with a £2,500 (about $3,200) Christmas present after seeing its half-year profits grow 12%.
"Under our profit share scheme, we are paying £2,500 in cash to each employee in December (2023/24: £7.5 million; 2022/23: £4.5 million) to reward their contribution to our performance," Games Workshop said in its half-year trading update.
This precedent contrasts nicely with Hasbro, another famous tabletop company: it has recently fired 1,100 employees, around 20% of its workforce. Of course, Games Workshop's generous present doesn't mean it won't start letting go of workers any time soon. Still, it's a nicer way to end the year.
Perhaps this decision was driven by Games Workshop's recent agreement with Amazon, which promises a TV adaptation of Warhammer 40,000 once the companies assemble "an elite band of screenwriters" led by the former star of The Witcher and DC's Superman Henry Cavill.
In any case, I hope this bonus was a great Christmas present for Games Workshop's employees and we'll see fewer layoffs next year. Find the original article here and join our 80 Level Talent platform and our Telegram channel, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.
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