The world needs more good news, and PlayStation is ensuring that we have some to report, as if fans needed more reasons to love the console. Announced by PushSquare that received a memo from PlayStation employees, all employees are working from home at least until April 30th.
All employees will also receive the full paycheck that they’re entitled to, regardless of the ability to complete their work in a remote setting. This means that everyone from animators to janitors is taken care of financially during the time of crisis, at least until COVID-19 has passed.
Beyond keeping their jobs, and getting paid for it, PlayStation is also offering a one-time allowance to all PlayStation employees of $1,000 to ensure that they can be properly productive at home during the epidemic. This allows employees to purchase various video-cards and other technological pieces that they may need to properly echo the environments that they’re used to at work.
Additionally worth noting is the scope; this proclamation affects employees around the world; the United States, Europe, and Japan.
The biggest news for many is likely revolving around whether or not the PlayStation 5 will be delayed or various first-party titles that may suffer due to the new work environments. Yet it’s always warming to see various companies that we’ve come to appreciate doing the right thing, time and again, as far as they’re able to.
Microsoft hasn’t necessarily been sitting on its laurels while Sony takes care of its workers; Microsoft has similarly made some large contributions to the health of their employees, and the communities they reside in. Employees for Microsoft have continued to get paid, even hourly employees that operate in currently-closed Microsoft stores.
They’ve also sourced almost a quarter of a million n95 masks for Seattle hospitals, full-time employees have received an $800 reimbursement for fitness products and subscriptions to use in their home, along with twelve therapy sessions for all full-time employees. Part-time employees are receiving $400 for use with fitness products and subscriptions to keep everyone moving as best they can during the modern quarantine.
All in all, both companies have actually stepped up to ensure that COVID-19 doesn’t distract and blemish the brightest minds being employed by their respective corporations, and that’s something that all gaming industry fans should readily applaud. The fact that they did so without thousands barraging their social media accounts, is even better. This is a massive win, regardless of where you fall in the console wars.
