Epic Games has cut 1,000 people from its workforce, and among them is the character artist whose designs have defined Fortnite's visual identity since the game's earliest days. Vitaliy Naymushin, who created Jonesy, the game's most iconic default mascot, confirmed his departure on LinkedIn after more than 11 years at the studio.
Naymushin did not just design Jonesy. He created Ramirez, Penny, and the majority of Fortnite's original character roster. Over his tenure, he rose to become the director of character art, hiring and training new talent whilst personally directing the art for 15 seasons of gameplay. "Seeing Fortnite from pre-launch to today and being a part of making that happen was the experience of a lifetime," he wrote.
The cuts also claimed other veteran developers. According to reporting by IGN, design director Christopher Pope, principle engineer Evan Kinney, and lead writer Nik Blahunka all lost their positions, along with Devin Connors, a long-standing community manager at Rocket League studio Psyonix. These were not junior positions or contract roles; they were architects of the game's gameplay, narrative, and technical foundation.
CEO Tim Sweeney blamed the layoffs on Fortnite's declining engagement since 2025, a situation where the company is "spending significantly more than we're making." He framed this as necessary action after the game experienced a downturn despite remaining one of the world's most popular titles. Epic is also shutting down or scaling back modes including Rocket Racing, Ballistic, and the Festival Battle Stage, whilst it recently raised V-Bucks prices in an attempt to improve finances.
The decision prompted a candid response from those left behind. Fortnite gameplay producer Robby Williams posted on social media that remaining staff "cannot even fully understand what kind of impacts this will have on the game for the rest of the year and likely beyond." He described the layoffs as a "brutal day at Epic" and acknowledged the challenge facing developers who must now deliver new seasonal content with a workforce diminished by one-fifth.
"Our teams will have to pick up the pieces and try to keep moving forward, but we cannot even fully understand what kind of impacts this will have on the game for the rest of the year and likely beyond." - Robby Williams, Fortnite gameplay producer
The timing raises questions about credibility and planning. Fortnite launched Chapter 7 Season 2 just days before the layoffs, celebrated by the community as a triumphant return after a lengthy content drought. That the company announced cuts so soon after this milestone suggests either the engagement downturn was steeper than anticipated or the financial model that drove Fortnite's expansion had become unsustainable.
Severance includes at least four months of pay and six months of healthcare coverage for US-based staff. After the cuts, Epic will retain approximately 4,000 employees. Sweeney indicated the company will pursue what he called "huge launch plans towards the end of the year," though it remains unclear how a depleted team will deliver on that ambition.
Naymushin's departure particularly stands out. Fortnite's identity is built on character design, cosmetics, and seasonal skins that drive revenue through the battle pass. Losing the artist who shaped that visual language during the game's formative years, when its aesthetic became culturally cemented, represents a loss that goes beyond headcount.
You can read more about Epic's financial challenges and restructuring plans via Game File's coverage of the broader situation facing the company.