Report: SOE Studios Hit with Massive Layoffs

March 31, 2011

According to a Kotaku report, Sony Online Entertainment has closed three of its development studios and laid off nearly a third of its work force. Word began to spread when George Broussard, better known as the creator of Duke Nukem and the founder of 3DRealms, tweeted about SOE Seattle closing:

"Word that Sony Online Entertainment Seattle is having layoffs and that studio closure is possible."

Kotaku then confirmed the news "through a source familiar with the matter" who said that the closure affected SOE's studios in Seattle, Tucson, Arizona and Denver. Kotaku also confirmed that nearly half of the employees at SOE's Austin, Texas studio had been let go. A number of its employees in San Diego, the company's main studio of operations have also been let go.

SOE has not confirmed any of these layoffs. SOE is best known for its online games EverQuest, EverQuest II, Free Realms, and DC Universe Online. The future of one of the company's upcoming MMO's, The Agency, is a big fat question mark at this point.

Source: Kotaku

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Re: Report: SOE Studios Hit with Massive Layoffs

Submitted by Final11 on Thu, 03/31/2011 - 23:55.

Well it looks like SOE has released the info: http://forums.station.sony.com/dcuopc/posts/list.m?topic_id=26190

They canned the Agency. I was looking forward to that game.

Re: Report: SOE Studios Hit with Massive Layoffs

Submitted by FlakAttack on Thu, 03/31/2011 - 18:50.

Don't forget Planetside Next... that was supposed to be announced this month (March) and we haven't heard a word about it.

 
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