Electronic Arts has confirmed more layoffs at the company as it is "streamlining operations" and focuses on new platforms and mobile. The company did not disclose where the current layoffs were, or how many people were affected, but reports suggest that EA Mobile Montreal has been affected.
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City developer Slant Six Games has been hit with more layoffs, the third such staff reduction in two years. The studio cut an undisclosed number of staff last June, and also laid off team members in April 2010. A company representative said this move is "temporary"--as the others were--as it tries to line up more work.
The Los Angeles offices of Square Enix America have again been hit with an unspecified number of layoffs, reportedly including the CEO and head of marketing. The office houses mostly marketing and public relations staff.
An unconfirmed number of people have been laid off by TimeGate Studios, creator of the FPS series Section 8 and, most recently, co-developer of Gearbox's ill-fated Aliens: Colonial Marines. Officially it's part of TimeGate's preparations for "the transition to next-generation consoles and new business models," but rumour says the layoffs come shortly after a publishing deal fell through.
While Valve talks freely about some aspects of its work, the Steam and Half-Life creator is always tight-lipped about business. However, the flurry of speculation, rumor and doomsaying which sprung from news of layoffs at Valve has provoked a statement from head honcho Gabe Newell. Nothing's being cancelled, he says, and no priorities or projects shuffled, but he won't discuss the layoffs.
Read more: 'We don't usually talk about personnel matters' »
Updates with Develop report of Valve's director of business leaving the company.
Reports are beginning to surface that employee-friendly Valve Software is in the process of making "large decision" about the company's future, resulting in the layoff of as many as 25 employees from multiple departments.
English developer Eurocom laid off a whopping 150 staff in November after several console projects fell through. The The maker of 007 Legends and Harry Potter for Kinect brought in administrators to help seek profitability and planned a shift to mobile, but it wasn't enough. Today it made the remaining 42 employees redundant and ceased trading, after 24 years in games.
007 Legends developer Eurocom has announced that they have laid off more than 150 people, citing a decrease in demand for console games. The studio dropped its staff to under 50 employees to focus on mobile development.
No sooner does Fable: The Journey hit shelves to lackluster reviews than UK developer Lionhead Studios faces staff reductions. Despite the layoffs, Microsoft insists that another 100 people will be hired by June of next year.
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.
EA Montreal, the studio behind a number of games including the Army of Two series, is going through some restructuring. Electronic Arts has confirmed that the mild shake-up has to do with renewing the studio's focus on 'digital initiatives,' including social and mobile endeavors.
Obsidian Entertainment, developers of Neverwinter Nights 2, Alpha Protocol, Fallout: New Vegas, and the upcoming South Park game, has been hit with layoffs. While the company has yet to return Shacknews' request for comments, messages on Twitter and the company's message boards appear to confirm the downsizing.
Read more: Next-gen project canceled, up to 30 people affected »
Blizzard Entertainment has revealed plans to cut around 600 jobs globally, saying it needs to align its workforce with "current organizational needs." It insists that its "current development and publishing schedules will not be impacted," though around 10% of the people affected are from departments "related to development."
THQ has laid off an unspecified number of employees today, following the announcement of a new strategic realignment. This round of layoffs impacted the administrative and publishing departments, but didn't touch any of THQ's five internal studios. This latest in THQ's strategy shifts involves shutting down its various child-friendly properties to focus more on "core" games.
Read more: THQ focusing on core games and 'developing digital initiatives' »
Bethesda Softworks has confirmed circulating reports that id Software has been hit with layoffs. It's still unclear how many jobs were affected by the cuts.
Creators of such classic franchises as Doom and Wolfenstein, id Software recently launched Rage--the developer's first new intellectual property since 1996's Quake.
Read more: Bethesda calls the cuts 'standard business practices' »
"Well, here's hoping the Marketing and Origin teams are next to be "Streamlined"."
- Kubiac See all 8 comments