Epic Layoffs Trigger Backlash Over Employee Battling Terminal Illness
Epic Games recently made the tough call to lay off over 1,000 workers, saying that the company wasn’t making as much money from Fortnite and other projects as they expected.
While many people shared their stories online about losing their jobs, one story in particular really stood out because of how heartbreaking it was.
Jenni Griffin went to social media to talk about her husband, Michael Prinke, who worked as a programmer writer at Epic until the layoffs happened. She explained that Michael is currently fighting terminal brain cancer. While the health insurance from the company lasts for six months after being let go, the life insurance policy stopped right away. Since his illness is considered a pre-existing condition, no other insurance company will give him a new plan.
ARE YOU HAPPY NOW @TimSweeneyEpic ??????? pic.twitter.com/QpzkCPCewV
— Backers | Fortnite News (@BackersGamesF) March 28, 2026
Jenni shared her fears about the future in her post. 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 wanted people to know that her husband was more than just a name on a list of employees. She said, Mike is not just a number. He is a father. A husband. A person deeply loved.
According to a report from Insider Gaming, the story started getting a lot of attention over the weekend. Jenni hoped that if the leaders at Epic Games understood the human side of their choice, they might do something to help. She told her followers, We are running out of time, and I’m trying everything I can to protect my family while I still have him here with us.
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
After the news broke and people started talking about it, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney responded directly on social media. He promised that the company would step in to fix the situation for the family. Sweeney 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.
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