EA redundancies rise to 1000
Studios under threat of closure.
Electronic Arts has revealed that it's to reduce its worldwide work force by 10 per cent, or some 1000 jobs. That's 400 more than it said it would at the end of October.
It will also "consolidate or close" at least nine studios and publishing offices. The Black Box studio in Vancouver will be merged with the EA Canada development facility there. Most of this restructuring will take place by the end of March 2009.
EA previously said it would be cutting 6 per cent of jobs, or 600, on the back of second-quarter losses.
Along with the loss of jobs will be the loss of some games from the company's busy release schedule. "EA is implementing a plan to narrow its product portfolio to focus on hit games with higher margin opportunities," says the release.
We all know what the means, even though it's followed up with "the company remains committed to taking creative risks".
Tough times ahead.