Last week, gaming company Epic Games announced the layoffs of about 1,000 employees due to «declining player activity in Fortnite.» Among them was technical writer Mike Prink, who is undergoing treatment for terminal brain cancer.
Last week, gaming company Epic Games announced the layoffs of about 1,000 employees due to «declining player activity in Fortnite.» Among them was technical writer Mike Prink, who is undergoing treatment for terminal brain cancer.
The IT guy’s wife, Jenny Griffin, posted about their situation on Facebook, asking Epic Games or anyone who could help, PC Gamer reports.
Epic Games previously assured that laid-off employees would receive severance pay, including at least four months of base salary, six months of health insurance, and additional benefits based on length of service. However, the nature of Prinke’s illness presents additional complications.
«With the layoff, we not only lost our income — we lost his life insurance. And because his condition is now considered a pre-existing condition, he can’t get new insurance. As I face the reality of losing my husband… I’m also facing the reality of what type of funeral/burial I can afford. How will I keep a roof over our heads. How will I protect our son and the life we’ve built together. What will happen to our dogs», Griffin wrote.
She said Prinke’s condition was well known at the studio because he had frequent doctor visits, some of which included specialized treatment to prevent memory loss so he could maintain high performance at work.
«I sincerely believe that if those who made this decision were aware of its full impact on a person, they would not have sought such an outcome. Mike is not just a number. He is a father. A husband. A person who is deeply loved,» the AIT man’s wife added.
She tagged Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney on social media and asked if he was happy. He responded by assuring her that the company was in touch with the family and would take care of their insurance issues.
«Medical information is strictly confidential and was not a factor in the decision to dismiss. I apologize to everyone for not recognizing and dealing with this terribly painful situation sooner,» Tim Sweeney said.
He previously said that the entire gaming industry is in a difficult situation due to slowing growth, reduced costs and difficult economic factors. In addition, current consoles are selling worse than previous-generation consoles, and games are competing for players' time with other forms of entertainment.
