Sony To Let Go 6% Of Its Workforce Laying Off 10,000 People

From a story put forward by the Japanese Times it looks as though Sony is getting ready to lay off 6% of its workforce by the end of the year. That equates to 10,000 people losing their jobs. The report claims that this comes from Sony Corporation wanting to act to regain global competitiveness. The Nikkei business daily report stated that, " in addition to slashing 5,000 jobs as part of a reorganization of its businesses for small and medium-size display panels and noncore chemicals, which has already been announced, Sony will cut another 5,000 globally." There is no evidence at the moment that these cuts will affect any of Sony's gaming divisions. However Sony has already lost two first party studios this year. BigBig Studio was closed down in January where as earlier this month Zipper Interactive, the creators of MAG, Socom and Unit 13 was also shuttered. The Tokyo based company has been recording losses for the past four years. Sony are competing not just with a surge within the Yen, but also an increasingly competitive television and entertainment market. It is also no small fact that Sony also suffered from the earthquake and resulting tsunami that hit the island nation in 2011. Sony stated in February that they were expecting to make a ¥220 billion group net loss for the year ended March 31. Under these circumstances it is somewhat unsurprising that reportedly seven of its senior managers are expected to give up their bonuses for the year. However since this report was published, according to BBC writer Tim Weber, Sony has denied that it is letting anyone go. This could simply be damage control on Sony's part, but we'll have more as the story develops.