The layoffs at Epic Games recently included a developer with terminal brain cancer, and after this became public, Epic's CEO promised to "solve the insurance" for the affected family.
Mike Prinke, a former programmer at Epic, was among the 1,000+ people who lost their jobs recently as part of downsizing at the Fortnite studio. His wife, Jenni Griffin, posted on Facebook to say Prinke is fighting terminal brain cancer and that due to the layoff, "We didn't just lose income--we lost his life insurance."
"And because his condition is now considered a pre-existing condition, he can't get new coverage. So now, 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 I will keep a roof over our heads. How I will protect our son and the life we built together. What will happen to our dogs," Griffin wrote.
Griffin added: "I truly believe that if the people who made this decision understood the full human impact, they would not have intended this outcome."
On March 29, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney said his company is in contact with the family and "will solve the insurance for them." He added, "There is high confidentiality around medical information and it was not a factor in this layoff decision. Sorry to everyone for not recognizing this terribly painful situation and handling it in advance."
Griffin confirmed this, saying, "We are in talks now with the appropriate people," and that an update should come by Tuesday, March 31.
The Epic layoffs included several senior staff and veterans, including the artist who designed Jonesy, the face of Fortnite.
Explaining the cuts, Sweeney said Fortnite has experienced a downturn in engagement since 2025, which has resulted in a situation where the developer is "spending significantly more than we're making." Epic also announced a $500 million cost-savings plan that will see cuts to contract work and marketing. Epic will also close some open roles.
Additionally, Epic announced that it was shutting down or scaling back several projects, including Rocket Racing, Ballistic, and Festival Battle Stage. What's more, Epic recently raised V-Bucks prices to "help pay the bills."
Affected staffers are getting at least four months of severance pay, along with healthcare coverage that extends for six months in the US. After the 1,000 cuts, Epic Games will have about 4,000 workers on staff, a spokesperson told Game File.
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Mike Prinke, a former programmer at Epic, was among the 1,000+ people who lost their jobs recently as part of downsizing at the Fortnite studio. His wife, Jenni Griffin, posted on Facebook to say Prinke is fighting terminal brain cancer and that due to the layoff, "We didn't just lose income--we lost his life insurance."
"And because his condition is now considered a pre-existing condition, he can't get new coverage. So now, 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 I will keep a roof over our heads. How I will protect our son and the life we built together. What will happen to our dogs," Griffin wrote.
Griffin added: "I truly believe that if the people who made this decision understood the full human impact, they would not have intended this outcome."
On March 29, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney said his company is in contact with the family and "will solve the insurance for them." He added, "There is high confidentiality around medical information and it was not a factor in this layoff decision. Sorry to everyone for not recognizing this terribly painful situation and handling it in advance."
Griffin confirmed this, saying, "We are in talks now with the appropriate people," and that an update should come by Tuesday, March 31.
The Epic layoffs included several senior staff and veterans, including the artist who designed Jonesy, the face of Fortnite.
Explaining the cuts, Sweeney said Fortnite has experienced a downturn in engagement since 2025, which has resulted in a situation where the developer is "spending significantly more than we're making." Epic also announced a $500 million cost-savings plan that will see cuts to contract work and marketing. Epic will also close some open roles.
Additionally, Epic announced that it was shutting down or scaling back several projects, including Rocket Racing, Ballistic, and Festival Battle Stage. What's more, Epic recently raised V-Bucks prices to "help pay the bills."
Affected staffers are getting at least four months of severance pay, along with healthcare coverage that extends for six months in the US. After the 1,000 cuts, Epic Games will have about 4,000 workers on staff, a spokesperson told Game File.
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