Playtika to Cut Staff by 15%, Incur Charges up to $15 Million
Posted on: January 14, 2026, 09:30h.
Last updated on: January 14, 2026, 10:06h.
- Mobile gaming company says it will slash staff by 15%
- Expects to reinvest cost savings in growth initiatives
Shares of Playtika (NASDAQ: PLTK) traded lower early Wednesday after the mobile gaming company said it will reduce its workforce by 15%, incurring costs of $12 million to $15 million in the process.
The Israeli company made the announcement in a Form 8-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Wednesday, noting it expects to complete the staff cuts by the end of the current quarter.
While the Plan is expected to result in operating expense efficiencies, the Company anticipates reinvesting a substantial portion of these expense reductions to advance growth initiatives. Accordingly, the impact on overall profitability will depend on timing and scope of these investment,” said the company in the regulatory document.
In a letter to employees, Playtika CEO Robert Antokol said the layoffs are part of a broader transformation aimed at refreshing the company’s priorities, potentially allowing it to enhance its focus on higher-growth titles.
‘This Time is Different’
As highlighted by the stock trading lower on the layoff news, investors appear unmoved by Playtika’s efforts to reduce costs and revamp its game portfolio.
The shares are off 47% over the past year and have stumbled in the roughly five years since the company’s initial public offering (IPO). Shareholders have fretted about monthly user growth and a dependence on a small number of titles such as Bingo Blitz, Caesars Slots, Slotomania, and World Series of Poker (WSOP).
Antokol, however, is promising a new era at the gaming company.
In the letter to staff, he said it’s essential that Playtika alter its current cost structure so that it can invest in future opportunities, adding the company doesn’t have the luxury of allocating resources to mature titles while also investing in new games.
“We have faced difficult choices before, but this transformation marks a new chapter,” wrote Antokol. “By proactively reshaping our operating model, we are seizing the initiative to unlock new opportunities for growth, sharpen our focus, and build a foundation for durable success.”
Playtika Focusing on Growth Titles
Part of Playtika’s reconfiguration consists of a focus on growth titles and leveraging the acquisition of SuperPlay, which was announced in September 2024.
SuperPlay could improve Playtika’s top line due in part to the success of the aforementioned Dice Dreams. That game was released in 2024, and as of July, it surpassed $400 million, helped in large part by the 2021 release of rival Monopoly Go!
“Growth titles take time to become profitable,” said Antokol in the letter. “By tightening our resources in mature areas now, we provide runway for our growth titles to succeed without jeopardizing our financial health.”
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