The newly-formed Skydance Corporation is implementing a five-day return to office (RTO) mandate across its entire business and introducing a 'Voluntary Buyout Program' to allow some employees to "move on in a way that works for them."
Paramount Games and Warner Bros. Games, which were recently merged under the Skydance Games banner, are now under the ownership of Skydance. The video game division houses notable studios such as Batman: Arkham developer Rocksteady, LEGO custodian TT Games, and Mortal Kombat maker NetherRealm.
The news comes just weeks after Paramount Skydaance completed its $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery to create a "new global entertainment leader."
In an email sent to Skydance workers by CEO David Ellison and co-CEO Ynon Kreiz (obtained by Vertical Slice), employees were told that in-person collaboration will be "vital" moving forward.
"Especially in a creative company like ours, the best ideas come from people in the same room, sharing perspectives, challenging one another and solving problems. Being together isn't just about showing up. It's about inspiring one another, learning and coaching, forming friendships and having access to the casual conversations that spark something great," reads the email.
"With that in mind, we will adopt a five-day in-office policy across all of Skydance. We truly believe this is in the best interest of our company and our people. We've seen the benefits firsthand at Paramount, and we want every part of Skydance to share in them."
The RTO policy will be rolled out in phases based on location. Employees will purportedly receive "ample notice" before any changes come into effect.
An internal FAQ viewed by Vertical Slice explains that fully remote employees will not be subjected to an "immediate change" in their working arrangements. It also states that Skydance "may revisit remote roles" as it moves through the RTO process.
The Voluntary Buyout Program was announced in the same email as the RTO policy and is being positioned as a "one-time offer."
"As we bring our teams together, we recognise that not everyone will see their future here and we respect that. To give eligible employees the option to move on in a way that works for them, we are introducing a Voluntary Buyout (VBO) program," the email continues
It's currently unclear which teams have been deemed eligible for the VBO.
Chris is an award-winning reporter with over a decade of experience covering the video game industry. He was formerly news editor at Game Developer and is currently the founder and editor of this resplendent website.
