Rise of Nations Developer Big Huge Hit by Layoffs

Following recent word that THQ "plans to close [Big Huge Games] if a sale is not completed in the near future," the studio has been forced to reduce its staff.

"Some of the staff were notified that they were not going to be part of the future direction of the studio," THQ representative Julie MacMedan confirmed with Joystiq. While MacMedan refused to detail how many staffers were affected, Develop reports, via anonymous sources, that the studio saw a "huge amount of layoffs."

Responsible for such titles as Rise of Nations (PC) and Catan (X360), Big Huge is known to be working on on "quirky" Wii game and an RPG led by Oblivion designer Ken Rolston. THQ is still pursuing a sale of Big Huge Games, MacMedan asserted.

In related news, THQ today announced that, as a whole, it has "substantially completed the actions necessary to achieve its previously announced plan to reduce fiscal 2010 budgeted annual spending by $220 million."