‘Very painful’: Cary-based Epic Games lays off more than 1,000 employees amid ‘Fortnite’ decline

March 24, 2026 - 21:22

CARY, N.C. — In a significant move to stabilize its finances, Epic Games has announced a workforce reduction impacting over 1,000 employees. The Cary-based video game giant described the decision as a necessary, yet difficult, step toward achieving long-term sustainability.

Company leadership cited a period of unsustainable spending as the primary driver behind the cuts. While the immensely popular Fortnite remains a core revenue generator, its growth has slowed, creating a financial gap that the company had attempted to fill by investing heavily in the metaverse and other ambitious ventures. These investments ultimately outpaced the company's earnings, necessitating a major restructuring.

In a statement, Epic Games acknowledged the profound human impact of the layoffs, calling the process "very painful." The company emphasized its commitment to supporting departing employees through severance packages and career transition services. The restructuring aims to refocus the company on its core projects while establishing a more sustainable cost structure, ensuring Epic can continue to operate its key ecosystems and deliver for its player base and developers moving forward.