Tera publisher En Masse hit with layoffs

En Masse Entertainment, publisher of the action-combat-oriented MMO Tera, has laid off an unspecified number of employees to "prepare for the next chapter of our business." The publisher has promised continued support for the MMO despite the job cuts.

A tweet by community manager Evan "Scapes" Berman said he had been let go by the company, and later tweeted that the layoffs were "not based on performance." En Masse publishing VP Chris Lee later confirmed the layoffs (via Massively):

Today, we had to let go of some of the great talent at En Masse Entertainment. While a tough decision, it was necessary as we prepare for the next chapter of our business. TERA has been a great launch for us, and we are committed to our loyal players. We're taking measures to align the needs of our business to continue supporting TERA and preparing for our future.

The company has promised to help those employees find new jobs and is encouraging other companies to email En Masse if they are looking for help. Tera launched May 1 to a good response, but may have suffered a setback when Diablo 3 launched two weeks later.