CARY, NC – Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has assuaged fears among the remaining workforce, confirming that the recent culling of over 1,000 employees was a purely financial decision, not a harbinger of the AI revolution. Sweeney clarified that while artificial intelligence is indeed advancing at an alarming rate, human beings are currently still the more cost-effective option for many roles, particularly those requiring the nuanced skill of 'being paid less than a server farm.'

“Let me be absolutely clear,” Sweeney stated in an internal memo, obtained by Hambry. “These layoffs are not because a neural network learned to code a battle royale map in 30 seconds. They are because we spent too much money, and humans, despite their need for things like 'salaries' and 'healthcare,' remain marginally cheaper than the infrastructure required to replace them entirely. For now.”

Industry analyst Dr. Evelyn Byte, from the Institute for Redundant Workforce Studies, praised Sweeney's candor. “It’s refreshing to hear a CEO admit that the primary driver for workforce reduction is often simply the bottom line, not some futuristic technological leap,” Dr. Byte noted. “It gives employees a clear understanding: you’re not being replaced by a machine, you’re just being replaced by a spreadsheet.”

The company cited a 'downturn in Fortnite engagement' and rising costs as the primary culprits. Sources close to the situation suggest that the 'rising costs' largely refer to the operational expenses of maintaining a global workforce that occasionally expects raises. Sweeney concluded his memo by encouraging the remaining staff to work harder, reminding them that their continued employment is a testament to their current economic inefficiency compared to a hypothetical AI alternative.

Epic Games confirmed that the company still requires software developers, presumably until the robots become even cheaper.