Sony announces plans to layoff 10,000 workers by March 2013

In an effort to "regain global competitiveness", Sony has revealed a phase of its plan that will eventually trip its "global headcount by 10,000 [workers]" by March of 2013.

Although we've known of these plans for quite a while now, Reuters has revealed a phase of the plan that is currently underway. The report outlines plans to layoff works from the various Sony divisions including 2,000 from its head office and plan in Gifu and another 1,800 at a "chemical business" that it sold to a state-run bank in Japan.

Another 2,000 workers from Sony Europe will be let go, "half at a joint mobile phone venture with Ericsson" that recently ended. Reuters noted the remaining job losses will be at "other factories around the world".

For Sony, these cuts are much needed to get the company back on track. Predating the announcement of the massive restructuring, the company reported a loss of over $2 billion. Sony expects these job cuts to save about $378.6 million a year.

GameZone wishes the best to all of those affected by these recent layoffs.