Epic Games layoffs: developer with terminal brain cancer loses life insurance

Layoffs have become all too common in the video game industry, but a recent story from Epic Games’ latest round of layoffs has been particularly painful to hear. Recently, Epic Games, the company behind Fortnite, decided to let go of 1,000 employees after stating that a sharp drop in player engagement in 2025 caused the business to spend more than it was making in profits.

CEO Tim Sweeney chimed in on the layoffs, calling them a necessary step to keep the company alive. He offered affected staff members four months of severance pay and six months of continued health coverage in the U.S., along with stock benefits. Numerous former employees have shared their stories online, but one family has been marred by an unimaginable crisis.

Epic Games Lets Go Programmer of Seven Years Fighting Terminal Brain Cancer

Michael Prinke was a programmer and technical writer at Epic Games for nearly seven years. He was among those who were let go. Recently, his wife, Jenni Griffin, posted on Facebook and shared devastating news about how his layoff had affected his chances of survival, as he is currently fighting terminal brain cancer.

Michael Prinke worked as a full-time Epic employee and carried company-sponsored life insurance, which provided some security and relief for his family as his health deteriorated. 

Unfortunately, the layoff resulted in the termination of his life insurance coverage, effective immediately. Because his battle with cancer is deemed a pre-existing condition, his wife stated with grief that he cannot qualify for life insurance anywhere else. She stated:

“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?”

For proof, she also attached an image of a brain scan (MRI) that showed an aggressive tumor of the frontal lobe while pleading for support or help from executives at Epic Games, who made the key decisions regarding the layoffs.

She continued, “Mike is not just a number. He is a father, a husband, a person deeply loved. 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.”

While Michael Prinke’s health insurance remains in place for the next six months, the fact that he has no life insurance leaves his family in a frightening situation at the worst possible time. For now, Michael’s family is trying to make the most of the time they have left with him. His wife hopes that Epic might step in and offer a solution once the company is informed of the details.

She said, “If the person who made this decision understood the full human impact, they would not have intended this outcome.”

The post has since been updated to reflect that someone at Epic Games has gotten in touch with her about the situation:

"Update (3/29):  We are in talks now with the appropriate people!  Will update soon, likely by tuesday.  Thank You." (edited to remove caps)