The terminology sort of makes the game industry sound like the agriculture business. I wonder if people who get hired during ramp up and then let go at launch are considered "seasonal" workers. Also, way to add insult to injury, Jeff Brown, with that last line.

That final quote is a classic example of corporate doublespeak.

Perhaps EA should take a look at this...perhaps all corporations should...
http://www.thatvideosite.com/video/well_drawn_explanation_on_what_motivates_us

That has to be the most hilarious closing statement, in the context of this article.

Is this the part where EA is profitable again? No?

Why do people continue to work for these assholes?

Really tough to be in the gaming business, might as well get that CS degree and apply it to something else, something more stable. Developing games is not an easy thing, and then being treated like this really doesn't speak well for the industry.

Not too long ago you couldn't spell 'weak' without EA, now you can add bleak to the list as in their future.

I hope you guys don't think this is only in the gaming industry. It's been happening in software(non-gaming) for years.

Why don't they just make temporary contracts with their employees--hire them for say 1 year as a contractor---so there is no obligation to keep them on after one year--but there is an option to pick them up after that year...This also gives the employee a chance to...um...look for a new job...prior to being expelled like a turd the day after eating a pot full of refried beans.

'layoffs' is being used for shareholders, termed to show that the company is dedicated to cutting costs by allowing the turnover from higher paid staff to entry level staff. if ea really saw seasonal production cycle as a human resource issue they would contract the work for the rest of year. Canada already has universal health care, so the difference between contract and full time employment is less significant than it is in the US, for example.

Usually, as soon as layoffs occur, someone winds up making a killing on wall street. Shareholders are idiots for the most part because they make decisions on the most rudimentary of facts presented to them. Real productivity is not measured in Wall Street, only the perception of greater efficiency because they do not have the capacity to understand the business they are invested in (which goes against much logic and reason, warren buffet would agree). Even if the layoffs do not result in better improved performance (by industry, not wall street standards) they are still a stock boost.

How can they get away with it? Because we let them. We love the work we do and we believe that they are the only people that could allow us to do so. But the reality is that the majority of employment comes from small businesses who are reliant on a healthier staff. They cannot afford to spend resources on turnover. They are less likely to deal with unintelligible investors and be burdened with increasing the perceived value of their company.

Thank you for your hard work on game X. Here is a severance of two weeks and here is your box.

only the dispensable got laid off, the people who had great talent and hard work ethics were deemed worthy of exploiting for another pay period.

EA doesn't really "lay off" anyone 'cause slaves aren't "let go"...