Activists are upset that they were not invited to the negotiations to finalize the deal.
Employees of Electronic Arts and members of the Communication Workers of America (CWA) have issued a joint statement expressing concern over the proposed acquisition and privatization. Union activists say they were not properly represented during the sale talks and fear widespread layoffs once the transaction closes.
The statement emphasizes that this $55 billion deal will only “deepen the concentration of power and wealth in the hands of a few industry titans”, while failing to address the problems faced by players and workers.
Every time private equity or billionaire investors take a studio private, workers lose visibility, transparency, and influence. Decisions that determine our work, our craft, and our future are made behind closed doors by executives who haven’t written a line of code, built worlds, or supported live game services. Yet we—the very people who will be put at risk by this deal—were not represented in the buyout negotiations or discussions.
Activists warn that any future layoffs would be a deliberate choice by new management—“padding their own pockets”—rather than an unavoidable necessity.
Source: iXBT.games