Nintendo lays off US contractors ahead of highly-anticipated launch of Switch 2

[Jobhunter]

 

Nintendo of America (NOA) has reportedly laid off around 120 contractors. This restructuring move is said to be part of a broader effort to drive greater global integration in game development efforts.

 

The shakeup has resulted in the termination of some contractor assignments, while simultaneously creating “a significant number of new full-time employee positions”. The restructuring is said to better align NOA with interregional testing procedures and operations. However, the exact number of employee positions created remains unclear.

 

This move comes amid a reported “lull” in Nintendo of America’s testing department, with no new major first-party games currently in the testing pipeline.

 

The timing of these layoffs has raised eyebrows in the gaming community, as it takes place ahead of the highly-anticipated launch of the Switch 2. The Switch 2, originally expected to arrive later this year, has now seen its release pushed back to March 2025.

 

What impact will this restructuring have on the quality of Nintendo’s future releases? And more importantly, how will this affect the launch of the much-anticipated Switch 2? We’d love to hear your thoughts on this. 

 

 

Read more:

• https://kotaku.com/nintendo-switch-2-layoffs-testing-zelda-totk-1851369539
• https://www.eurogamer.net/nintendo-confirms-contractor-layoffs-amid-claims-of-testing-lull-ahead-of-switch-2
• https://gamerant.com/nintendo-of-america-layoffs-120-contractors/

 

 

Image: Citalliance | Dreamstime.com