Disney-Owned Maker Studios Confirms Layoffs Amid “Strategic Adjustments”

Disney-owned Maker Studios has laid off several workers in what it describes as a strategic adjustment.

The layoffs, first reported by Deadline, are said to affect roughly 30 employees. “Maker Studios’ business is constantly evolving, and after careful thought, we have decided to make some strategic adjustments,” the company told Deadline in a statement, “reducing staff in some areas while still actively hiring in others — to best align with the go-forward strategy of the company.”

Deadline suggests that the layoffs could signal that Maker, which was acquired by Disney in a less-than-expected-but-still-massive $675 million deal, is falling short of expectations. If all performance goals were met, for instance, Maker’s final price tag in its seminal deal with Disney could have soared to $950 million.

Additionally, Maker underwent a leadership shakeup late last year when CEO Ynon Kreiz stepped down from his position, and former COO Courtney Holt took the company’s helm. Last August, chief content officer Erin McPherson and SVP of marketing Jeremy Welt also left the company. Maker’s most recent departures include former EVP of programming Bonnie Pan, who was named president of Endemol Beyond USA, and former EVP and GM of enterprise Sam Wick, who subsequently joined UTA’s digital media department.

Maker is home to creators like PewDiePie, Andrea Brooks, the Shaytards, and more.