Epic Games Faces Criticism Over Layoff Involving Terminally Ill Employee
Epic Games is facing strong public reaction after a recent round of layoffs affected more than 1,000 employees. The company said the cuts were needed because revenue from Fortnite and other projects had slowed down.
Among the many stories shared online, one quickly drew attention. A woman named Jenni Griffin spoke about her husband, Michael Prinke, who had been working at the company before losing his job. He is currently battling terminal brain cancer.
She explained that while some benefits continue for a limited time, one key protection ended right away. The family lost access to his life insurance. Because of his medical condition, getting a new policy is not possible.
ARE YOU HAPPY NOW @TimSweeneyEpic ??????? pic.twitter.com/QpzkCPCewV
— Backers | Fortnite News (@BackersGamesF) March 28, 2026
Jenni described the situation in emotional terms. She wrote, “So now, as I face the reality of losing my husband…I’m also facing the reality of what type of funeral/burial I can afford. How I will keep a roof over our heads. How I will protect our son and the life we built together. What will happen to our dogs?” She also reminded people that her husband is more than a former employee. “Mike is not just a number. He is a father. A husband. A person deeply loved.”
The story spread quickly, with reports from Insider Gaming helping bring more attention to it. Jenni said she hoped that by sharing their situation, someone at the company would understand what her family is going through and step in.
Epic is in contact with the family and will solve the insurance for them. There is high confidentiality around medical information and it was not a factor in this layoff decision. Sorry to everyone for not recognizing this terribly painful situation and handling it in advance.
— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) March 29, 2026
Soon after, Epic’s CEO Tim Sweeney responded publicly. He confirmed that the company had reached out and would fix the insurance issue. He wrote, “Epic is in contact with the family and will solve the insurance for them. There is high confidentiality around medical information and it was not a factor in this layoff decision. Sorry to everyone for not recognizing this terribly painful situation and handling it in advance.”
The situation highlights how job cuts can affect people in very different ways. While layoffs are often discussed in numbers, stories like this show the personal impact behind those decisions.
This is a reminder that companies need to look beyond business numbers and think about real people. It is good that action was taken, but it also shows how important it is to notice these cases early.
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