Epic Games confirmed that Monika Fahlbusch, its chief people officer, worked her last day on April 15, 2026. This came less than a month after the company laid off more than 1,000 employees in March. The timing is noteworthy for an HR leader who helped execute the cuts.

The layoffs, which represented roughly 20 percent of the workforce, were attributed to a downturn in Fortnite engagement that began in 2025. CEO Tim Sweeney noted in a memo that the company was spending significantly more than it was making. Fahlbusch had joined Epic in December 2020 after serving in a similar role at Juul Labs. In a letter to North Carolina officials at the time of the cuts, she acknowledged the difficulties the layoffs posed to employees and the community. The company has not provided details on the reasons for her departure, and Fahlbusch did not respond to requests for comment.

These developments follow Epic's prior round of reductions in 2023. Additional cost savings of over $500 million were identified alongside the latest staff reductions. The episode reflects ongoing adjustments in the industry amid fluctuating player metrics and financial pressures. It was mildly disappointing in a soul-crushing way.