MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
Namco Bandai’s US arm is planning to lay off up to 90 of its staff. These job losses have been attributed to the company’s recent restructuring in which it combined its online game and mobile businesses to form single division, according to VentureBeat. The layoffs were confirmed by Namco’s vice …
Read More »LucasArts confirms new layoffs
Star Wars developer LucasArts has issued redundancy notices to an unspecified number of staff at its San Francisco studio, the company has confirmed. The news adds to a wider picture of a group subjected to tumultuous policy change and swift restructuring, with key executives and longstanding designers quitting unexpectedly. A …
Read More »20 jobs lost at Firaxis
Publishing brand 2K has axed some 20 staff from Civilisation studio Firaxis, citing the need to cut costs. Firaxis has realigned its development resources in order to streamline its development process, reduce costs and maximize the overall performance the studio," read a 2K statement sent out to news group Kotaku. …
Read More »Game Room dev suffers further layoffs?
More staff redundancies have taken place at Australian outfit Krome, reports suggest. According to apparent anonymous sources, as many as fifty staff have been let go at the developer’s Brisbane studio. The developer was recently revealed as the team behind the Xbox Live Game Room – Microsoft’s latest addition to …
Read More »Activision responds to mass-layoff claims
Activision Blizzard has responded to widespread speculation suggesting that three of the publisher’s studios have been hit by heavy layoffs, and possible closures. In a statement sent to Develop, Activision said it was realigning our resources to better reflect our slate and the market opportunities.” Earlier today, 3D Realms co-founder …
Read More »Oberon Media confirms job losses
Expansive casual games provider Oberon Media has been hit with what is speculated to be a large number of layoffs, with former COO Don Ryan having confirmed his departure and that he intends to open his own New York based venture. The full story is over at CasualGaming.biz.
Read More »Job losses at EA Maxis
EA’s Maxis studio – originally responsible for The Sims franchise and most recently Spore – has seen layoffs amongst its staff, the publisher has confirmed. "Often in the video game industry, the size of a studio fluctuates in response to business conditions," Shacknews was told by Electronic Arts in a …
Read More »GRIN confirms company shutdown
After twelve years in the game development business, Swedish outfit GRIN has finally buckled under sustained financial pressure and has closed its doors completely. According to a statement from the company’s founding brothers – Bo and Ulf Andersson – the group has been forced” to shut down due to too …
Read More »Massive layoff reports are wildly inaccurate
Reports of job cuts taking place at Microsoft’s in-game ad firm Massive Inc are wildly inaccurate”, according to a company spokesperson. On Wednesday news emerged that Microsoft’s sustained cost-cutting measures had resulted in a 75 per cent workforce reduction at its in-game advertising firm Massive. Speaking to Develop, a company …
Read More »3D Realms future in doubt
The fate of 3D Realms is in serious doubt as the independent developer – best known for its work on the Duke Nukem series – is reportedly closing its doors and removing its staff. Multiple sources have suggested that the developer, founded over two decades ago, will fully close down …
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