A public Google Sheet created to list those affected by Epic’s recent cut of over 1,000 jobs has been converted into a searchable database site in an effort to surface available staff to recruiters. The site currently lists 320 people.
The list, which was formerly a public Google Docs spreadsheet of almost 500 entries, has been turned into a dedicated website using Replit, an AI web development platform. The original spreadsheet has been updated to include a list of other developers currently seeking work, as the games industry continues to be rocked by cutbacks and studio closures.
Meanwhile, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney has stepped in after it was revealed that one laid-off employee was losing access to treatment for terminal brain cancer. Mike Prinke’s wife, Jenni, publicly posted that he was losing access to health insurance for cancer treatment and prompted a huge reaction from the Fortnite community over the weekend.
In a post on X on Sunday, Sweeney said that “Epic is in contact with the family and will solve the insurance for them. There is high confidentiality around medical information and it was not a factor in this layoff decision. Sorry to everyone for not recognizing this terribly painful situation and handling it in advance.”