Overview
- An internal call told staff in Europe and North America that a “fundamental restructuring” of the overseas publishing organization will cut roles across nearly all departments, with around 140 London positions reported as “at risk” and UK redundancies subject to consultation.
- Investor materials outline an overseas structural reform to consolidate publishing and development functions in Japan, including closing overseas development studios and integrating global IP management.
- Square Enix projects more than ¥3 billion (about $19.6 million) in yearly savings and will reduce its HD Games publishing divisions from 11 to four, with remaining employees instructed to spend more time in the office.
- Separately, the company set a goal for generative AI to handle 70% of QA and debugging by the end of 2027, launching a joint research effort with the University of Tokyo’s Matsuo‑Iwasawa Laboratory staffed by more than 10 researchers and engineers.
- A company statement described the changes as positioning for long‑term growth, while industry figures such as Larian’s publishing director publicly criticized large‑scale replacement of human QA roles.