According to a recent report by Bloomberg, Activision Blizzard intends to close the headquarters of Blizzard Entertainment a Versailles, in France. At the moment it is not yet clear how many people will be fired and exactly when the office in France will be closed, but we know that tomorrow more information will be released on the fate of the office of the many workers who could suddenly lose their jobs. Additionally, Bloomberg said that Activision Blizzard originally had plans to relocate half of the Versailles office employees to London, but the Brexit and Coronavirus health emergency currently underway has hindered the transfer process. Blizzard said Versailles employees had been notified of a "plan" to reorganize the office, and the company reiterated that it is willing to support its employees in this difficult time, also bearing in mind French labor laws.
Over the past year, we have researched how best to integrate our capabilities across the company, enabling us to better leverage talent and skills as we adapt to the needs of a dynamic, highly competitive and digital-centric industry. In the context of our Versailles office, Blizzard France management informed employee representatives of a proposed plan to reorganize operations. Supporting our employees through this process is our number one priority, and we are studying the various processes related to this, which will be discussed at a CSE meeting scheduled for October 13-14. Until then, as there is a prescribed legal process, we cannot provide further comment.
This adds to the problems that hit the offices of the famous company last year Overwatch, Hearthstone, and World of Warcraft. In fact, in February 2019, the company fired 134 of its 400 employees, while last year there were also more extensive layoffs within the company, with employees of Activision, Blizzard and the mobile game company King. We just have to wait for further information on the affair, which will surely arrive in the coming days.
