The Midweek Memo #001
Hello ??
Welcome to our first newsletter of 2024 and the first edition of "The Midweek Memo"! ??
The change of name is because we've felt that the "Hitmarker Highlights" moniker has been inappropriate for a while now, due to the constant negative news coming out of the industry.
We'll also be landing in your inbox on a Wednesday rather than a Thursday from now on!
With that little bit of housekeeping out of the way, let's jump right into it…?
Sadly, the trend of gaming layoffs has continued into 2024, with Discord, Unity, Twitch, and Lost Boys Interactive all announcing significant reductions in their workforces.
It's not?all?doom and gloom, though, as Xbox has announced that its second Developer_Direct showcase will take place this week with some major announcements and reveals.?
Plus, Sand Land, a game based on Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama's manga, has also gotten a release date, which we're certainly hyped for!
Hot Jobs ??
Remote roles continue to dominate, despite many companies moving back to on-site working!
?? Erisia??? Remote Anywhere??? Freelance???? Intermediate
?? Infernozilla??? Remote Anywhere??? Freelance???? Intermediate (3+ years exp.)
?? Infernozilla??? Remote Anywhere??? Freelance???? Junior (1+ year exp.)
?? Infernozilla??? Remote Anywhere??? Freelance???? Junior (1+ year exp.)
?? Virtuix????? Austin, TX or Remote USA??? Full Time???? Intermediate (3+ years exp.)
?? GiantX????? London or ?? Remote Europe??? Full Time???? Intermediate (3+ years exp.)
?? Yodo1??? Remote Anywhere??? Full Time???? Intermediate (3+ years exp.)
?? AdHoc Studio????? Remote USA??? Full Time???? Junior (1+ year exp.)
?? Starfall PR????? Remote USA??? Freelance???? Entry (0+ years exp.)
?? Ubisoft????? Guildford??? Full Time???? Junior (1+ year exp.)
December was?slow, but hiring appears to be ramping up again now with?over 270 new jobs posted on our platform in the last week. If there's nothing for you on this list, there'll hopefully be something over there! ????
Big News ??
Other News ???
Okay, brace yourself, it's time for the negative updates from this week… Already in 2024,?thousands?of employees have been laid off from the likes of Discord, Twitch, Unity, and Embracer-owned studio Lost Boys Interactive. ??
Twitch has laid off 35% of its workforce, accounting for approximately 500 employees, while Unity's 25% reduction has resulted in the loss of 1,500 jobs. It's currently unknown how many positions were cut at Lost Boys, but Discord's 17% reduction is the largest ever at the company.
If that news has made you feel as down as we do, there is?some?good: Akira Toriyama’s Sand Land game has finally received a release date for April of this year. Some new details were also revealed about the title's vehicular customization, and it looks and sounds pretty cool!
Getting Social ??
Here are two of our LI posts from the past week that have been racking up reactions:
It's time to bring back our junior jobs roundup!
This week's list ?includes positions at a variety of departments from some of gaming's biggest names, such as Nintendo and EA. One opportunity that really stood out to us was that of an animator for Lucid Games' Sea of Thieves. ?
In case nothing catches your eye, there are many?more junior-level positions ?available now over on Hitmarker with more being added every weekday!
For our indie showcase this week, we felt like we needed to highlight the incredible work of Virendra "CG DASH" Kumar, who has created an amazing anime-style gun reload in Blender.
In their short video , they demonstrate the steps required to create the impressively old-school animation, using the 1998 film Spriggan as a reference point. It's certainly made us want to see more of this style, perhaps in a future game. ??
The End ??
So that concludes the first edition of The Midweek Memo!
Thank you for reading, as always, and here's hoping the newsletter next week is much more positive! It feels like we've written that a lot since the beginning of last year, huh?
For those affected by layoffs, whether in 2024 or 2023, we truly wish you the best of luck and are always here to provide you with new opportunities and advice. ??
Best wishes from all of us in freezing Newcastle,
Danny and the gang at Hitmarker ??
Exciting launch! ?? Leonardo da Vinci once said, "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." Your "Midweek Memo" embodies this, bringing the gaming world closer to its fans in a sleek, digestible format. ?? Also, for fellow green warriors, there's a thrilling sponsorship opportunity for the Guinness World Record of Tree Planting, perfect for those passionate about gaming and our planet! Check it out here: https://bit.ly/TreeGuinnessWorldRecord ???
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10 个月Great first newsletter for 2024. Glad that you are highlighting the negative layoff news for the industry this year. Hoping to see some more on Avowed tomorrow during the Xbox event tomorrow.