The chief of the firm that created Fortnite, a well-liked on-line recreation, has issued an apology following backlash after latest mass layoffs value an worker with terminal mind most cancers his job – and his life insurance coverage.
On Sunday, Tim Sweeney, the Epic Games chief government, apologized after Jenni Griffin, the spouse of Mike Prinke, a laid-off worker, revealed on social media that the lack of her husband’s job additionally meant he was shedding his life insurance coverage.
“Epic is in touch with the household and can clear up the insurance coverage for them,” Sweeney mentioned in an X submit in response to Griffin. “There is excessive confidentiality round medical information, and it was not an element on this layoff resolution. Sorry to everybody for not recognizing this terribly painful state of affairs and dealing with it upfront.”
Sweeney’s Epic Video games has annual income of $4bn. Its Fortnite is the world’s fourth-most-played PC recreation.
In a Facebook post, Griffin wrote: “I by no means imagined I’d be writing one thing like this. My husband, Mike, was lately laid off together with over a thousand others at Epic Video games. What makes this totally different for our household is that Mike is at the moment preventing terminal mind most cancers. Due to the layoff, we didn’t simply lose earnings – we misplaced his life insurance coverage.”
Griffin added: “And since his situation is now thought of a pre-existing situation, he can’t get new protection. So now, as I face the actuality of shedding my husband … I’m additionally dealing with the actuality of what kind of funeral/burial I can afford … I actually imagine that if the individuals who made this resolution understood the full human impression, they might not have supposed this consequence.”
She continued, “I’m sharing this in the hope that it reaches the proper folks. Should you work at or know somebody linked to Mike’s former employer, please assist this story attain them.”
Accompanying Griffin’s assertion was an image of Prinke’s mind scan, which was captioned: “There are dozens of tumors actively rising, however this one is the most terrifying because it is aggressively taking on area in the entrance lobe.”
Her submit rapidly went viral and prompted Sweeney to respond.
Griffin later confirmed that Epic Video games had reached out, writing on Fb on Sunday: “We are in talks now with the acceptable folks! Will replace quickly, seemingly by Tuesday. Thanks.”
Epic Video games announced the mass layoffs on 24 March. Sweeney justified the cuts by saying: “The downturn in Fortnite engagement that began in 2025 means we’re spending considerably greater than we’re making, and now we have to make main cuts to preserve the firm funded. This layoff, along with over [$500m] of recognized value financial savings in contracting, advertising, and shutting some open roles places us in a extra secure place.”
He added that affected staff would obtain a severance package deal, together with not less than 4 months of base pay, together with different points tied to tenure at the firm.
As well as, Sweeney mentioned Epic would lengthen paid healthcare protection. The corporate deliberate for laid-off US staff to obtain six months of protection, together with accelerated inventory choices.
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