Record Launches, Post‑Launch Layoffs

Major game publishers are increasingly trimming or restructuring development teams right after blockbuster releases, even when sales and launch metrics are strong. This reflects the live‑service business model and centralized publisher control that decouples immediate commercial success from ongoing workforce stability. — If this pattern persists it changes the calculus of creative work, weakens job security in cultural industries, and concentrates power in publisher platforms that can decide which projects and teams continue.