Evil Geniuses employees have started posting on social media that another round of layoffs has hit the esports organization.
Multiple Evil Geniuses employees have posted that they have been let go by the esports organization. This is the third round of layoffs the company has undergone within a year. The first wave hit the company in December of 2022, and the second impacted managers in March 2023.
This third wave has hit a variety of departments, while also impacting top-level employees at the company. Vice President of Operations and Studio John Jung kicked off the layoff posts by saying it was his last day at Evil Geniuses and wishing luck to everyone else who also got the axe on social media.
According to one now-former employee, Evil Geniuses let go of roughly 20 people.
Unfortunately today is my last day at Evil Geniuses, to the other ~20 ppl that were laid off today and those before us I wish u luck and lmk if u need a referenceOfficially LFT for the coming Spring Split! Very happy to take a deep dive into the breadth of my ability https://t.co/c0RIlh6UmS pic.twitter.com/TJKUJeaVUN
— Beora (@_Beora) November 1, 2023
“Unfortunately today is my last day at Evil Geniuses, to the other ~20 people that were laid off today and those before us I wish you luck and let me know if you need a reference,” former EG League of Legends analyst Beora said on social media.
Evil Geniuses hit with third round of layoffs
Other high-profile exits from the esports organization include former Global Creative Director Antonia Bonello and former Senior Director of Gaming & Performance Lindsey “GamerDoc” Migliore. GamerDoc has not posted about her exit on social media, however, her LinkedIn page shows her employment with the organization ending in November 2023.
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Just got the full USA experience and was laid off with immediate effect. Sending much love to all my EG colleagues affected and still there x
— 8bit_Bonello 🔜 MCM Expo (@AntoniaBonello) November 1, 2023
The exit of such high-ranking members has fueled speculation that the team is heading toward an eventual sale. Rumors of Evil Geniuses selling its LCS spot, or its ownership offloading the brand, have been swirling for a while.
Speculation first started after EG’s former CEO Nicole LaPointe Jameson stepped down on August 31.
These layoffs additionally come amidst an economic downturn in the industry, commonly referred to as the esports winter. While EG has been impacted by the change in economic headwinds around esports, it has also been a part of scandal after scandal in recent memory.
The organization was reportedly complicit in the alleged abuse of its star LCS bot laner and has reportedly kept its Valorant roster in contract jail after winning the 2023 world championship in the esport. In addition, Evil Geniuses recently came under fire for running a Rocket League tournament after dropping its previous tournament organizers for failing to secure partnerships and sponsors.
