Joystiq

Report: Square Enix America CEO leaves, joins Amazon

Jessica Conditt — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:30:00 EST

Square Enix America CEO Mike Fischer left the company this month and is now vice president of digital music and video for Amazon in Japan, Polygon reports. This follows news in April that Square Enix America eliminated "a number of positions" and Fischer was expected to leave in May. Those same reports said the head of marketing should be gone after E3, along with other employees in public relations.

In March, Square Enix President Yoichi Wada stepped down and the company announced widespread restructuring that it expected to cost $106 million. Square Enix posted a net loss of $134 million for fiscal year 2013, citing "weak" sales of major console games, including Sleeping Dogs, Hitman: Absolution and Tomb Raider, the last of which sold 3.4 million in its first month.

Report: Square Enix America CEO leaves, joins Amazon originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 May 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony is cutting 2000 jobs in Japan via 'early retirement' scheme

Sinan Kubba — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 09:00:00 EST

Sony today announced 2000 planned job cuts in Japan via an "early retirement" scheme. The Next Web reports the layoffs are expected to hit the PlayStation manufacturer's head office the hardest, with 20 percent of the employees there leaving by the end of the year. Sony believes this move is going to save the company 30 billion yen ($378 million) annually from next year onwards.

The move is in line with the expected 10,000 layoffs Sony announced earlier this year. In August, Sony revealed a $312 million loss for Q1 2012, with $45 million lost across its gaming division. Shortly after, Sony closed its Liverpool studio in the UK. Earlier this year, Sony also closed Zipper Interactive and BigBig Studios.

The company's struggles have also resulted in the closure of its lens factory in Minokamo, where 840 employees are based. Some of the factory's operations are being transferred elsewhere, but not all, so it's unclear how many layoffs the closure will result in.

Sony is cutting 2000 jobs in Japan via 'early retirement' scheme originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 19 Oct 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Death Jr. developer Backbone sees layoffs

JC Fletcher — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 10:30:00 EST

Backbone Entertainment, the Foundation 9-owned developer of many HD re-releases and retro collections including Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection - as well as the Death Jr. series - has suffered layoffs, Foundation 9 CEO James North-Hearn has told Gamasutra.

"Due to a lower demand for conventional console development, the studio has made some difficult but necessary adjustments in both its capacity and services, with the goal of matching the changing needs of today's market," North-Hearn said. "The dedicated development staff at Backbone has put together some of the studio's best work for our partners in the upcoming fall releases, Dance Central 3 and Midway Arcade Origins."

The scope of the layoffs was not revealed.

Death Jr. developer Backbone sees layoffs originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 10 Oct 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wipeout developer Sony Liverpool closed

Sinan Kubba — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 09:50:00 EST

Sony confirmed this morning that Wipeout developer Sony Liverpool has been shut down. It is currently unknown how many people have lost their jobs. MCV reports that the campus will remain open for various Sony Europe logistic services, but that the studio itself has been terminated as part of Sony's quality review process.

"We have reviewed and assessed all current and planned projects for the short and medium term and have decided to make some changes to our European Studios," reads a Sony statement released to MCV.

"It has been decided that Liverpool Studio should be closed. Liverpool Studio has been an important part of SCE Worldwide Studios since the outset of PlayStation, and have contributed greatly to PlayStation over the years. Everyone connected with Liverpool Studio, past and present, can be very proud of their achievements."

Sony Liverpool began life as Psygnosis back in 1984, releasing under that name classic games such as Shadow of the Beast and Lemmings. In 1995, the studio created the Wipeout franchise under Sony's ownership, with Wipeout 2048 releasing on the PlayStation Vita earlier this year. It's not known if the studio was working on any future Wipeout games or any other Sony releases.

Wipeout developer Sony Liverpool closed originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Aug 2012 09:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EA Montreal 'reorganizing some teams,' letting a 'small number' go

David Hinkle — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 19:00:00 EST

EA Montreal is restructuring its workforce. Some individuals are being moved to digital projects, including mobile and social games, while others will be dismissed.

"These are routine changes which address the cyclical nature of the game industry," an EA spokesperson told GI.biz. "A very small number of employees will be impacted - many will be assigned to new projects at EA, others will leave the company."

Just last week, EA told Joystiq that it's growing and plans to hire hundreds this year. EA expects headcount to be up by the end of 2012.

EA Montreal 'reorganizing some teams,' letting a 'small number' go originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony expects biggest loss ever, 10K laid off; games a pillar for future

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 11:30:00 EST

Sony announced today it would cut 10,000 jobs, approximately 6 percent of its global workforce, as it projects a loss of $6.4 billion for the fiscal year that ended in March. It will be the fourth straight year of losses for the company, which really needs to turn around its money pit TV business over the next two years.

"Sony will change. I've fully dedicated myself to changing Sony," said new CEO and President Kazuo Hirai to press today, as reported by USA Today.

Part of Hirai's turnaround efforts will be a fiscal pilates regimen, focused on strengthening the core businesses of mobile, digital imaging and gaming. The plan is for these groups to generate 70 percent of total sales for the company and 85 percent of income for the entire electronics business.

On the games front, the company plans to increase sales through PSN subscriptions and downloadable content, along with expanding the PlayStation Suite lineup and its compatible devices. For all of Sony's problems, the games division seems to be the least of its worries.

Sony expects biggest loss ever, 10K laid off; games a pillar for future originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: Sony shutting down SOCOM dev Zipper Interactive

David Hinkle — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 21:30:00 EST

Sony may be on the verge of closing down its shooter studio, Zipper Interactive. According to Kotaku sources, there's been "chatter for several days" about an impending closure and the possible cancellation of a current project. Sony has not commented on the situation.

Those with short memories may recall Zipper Interactive for it PS Vita shooter, Unit 13. But the company's roots go much deeper -- Zipper Interactive was founded in 1995 and spent the remainder of the '90s making Windows games. In 2002, Zipper created a little PS2 game for Sony called SOCOM: US Navy Seals and, after spending the next few years pumping out sequels, it was acquired by the publisher in 2006. The developer completed work on the large-scale multiplayer shooter, MAG, in 2010.

Rumor: Sony shutting down SOCOM dev Zipper Interactive originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Mar 2012 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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THQ lets 200 go, shifts development focus away from kids and licensed titles

David Hinkle — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 20:10:00 EST

THQ has high hopes for its fiscal Q3 (October through December) this year, this much we all know. And in light of recent disappointments (looking at you, Red Faction Armageddon!), the company has announced that it's shifting its focus away from kids and movie-based licensed titles, closing down two development studios in Australia and nixing its Phoenix-based development team. Overall, 200 people have gotten the axe, though they're able to apply for other vacant THQ positions.

THQ's five main studios will continue working on their own projects: THQ Montreal will continue to work on Patrice Désilets' unannounced game; Volition will continue work on Saints Row: The Third and its collaboration with Guillermo del Toro, inSANE; Relic's getting ready to launch Space Marine; Vigil is busy with Darksiders 2 and its MMO, Warhammer 40,000: Dark Millennium Online; and THQ San Diego will continue to handle the WWE All-Stars series.

Finally, like Red Faction before it, THQ will hang up the MX vs ATV series -- the latest entry (obviously) didn't do so well.

THQ lets 200 go, shifts development focus away from kids and licensed titles originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Aug 2011 20:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Class action lawsuit alleges Sony layoffs made PSN vulnerable

JC Fletcher — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 14:20:00 EST

A class action suit was filed this week in San Diego, alleging that Sony made its online services less safe by laying off important staff just before the April security breach. The suit, against Sony Corporation of America, Sony Computer Entertainment America, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony Network Entertainment International, is based on testimony from confidential witnesses (ex-Sony employees) who claim that Sony knew its security was compromised due to previous, smaller-scale intrusions. An SOE platform engineer claims that "Sony's technicians only installed firewalls on an ad-hoc basis after they determined that a particular user was attempting to gain unauthorized access to the network."

The suit also alleges, as stated by another confidential witness, that Sony "spent lavishly" on security measures for its own PS DevNetwork, but didn't put the same effort or budget into securing users' data.

Sony Online Entertainment enacted large-scale layoffs in March of this year -- just weeks before the massive data breach. One witness quoted in the claim said that those layoffs included staff from the company's Network Operations Center, which would have been instrumental in addressing a data breach.

Class action lawsuit alleges Sony layoffs made PSN vulnerable originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Jun 2011 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zipper Interactive staff reduced following SOCOM 4 completion

Ludwig Kietzmann — Thu, 19 May 2011 16:00:00 EST

Sony has confirmed a round of layoffs incurred at Zipper Interactive, its Redmond-based developer of abbreviated squad-based shooters SOCOM and MAG. "This is of normal business practice and a result of cutting back on production resources after the launch of two major franchises," a representative told Joystiq. "The team will continue to support existing properties and its work on future projects."

Sony did not say how many positions were terminated at Zipper, though a report on Kotaku suggests that 33 employees were affected.

Lead designer Travis Steiner recently parted ways with Zipper to form his own startup. His next project, along with that of his former employer, are both not yet known.

Zipper Interactive staff reduced following SOCOM 4 completion originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 19 May 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Krome CEO confirms layoffs, but studio 'still open'

Richard Mitchell — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST

With rumors swirling last month that Australia's Krome Studios was closing its doors, CEO Robert Walsh informed IGN Australia that while ongoing reports of layoffs are true, the developer is "still open" and still has working employees. Additionally, Walsh insisted the studio has projects currently in production, as well as more "on the horizon."

"I wouldn't say our industry is doing well at the moment, but we are really focusing on more digital and social work and not as much box product," Walsh clarified. He added that such projects don't require large teams.

Walsh admitted that Krome had kept too many employees on staff -- somewhere around 400 before the layoffs began -- even when there was no work for many of them. "To be really honest, that's pretty much led to our current position," Walsh explained. "We probably kept 100, 120 people on, waiting for work to come in." Now, Krome will focus on paying work and keeping a "smaller, core team" that should range from 40 to 100 staff depending on the number of the studio's projects at any given time.

Despite the trying times, Walsh is determined to keep as many people on board as possible. "My goal right now is to try and find as much work as possible for the people we've got, and still look for more work to get people back."

Krome CEO confirms layoffs, but studio 'still open' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA 2K11 devs drop 'approximately 30 positions'

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 15:17:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Take-Two Interactive sports game developer Visual Concepts recently let go of 30 employees, according to a statement issued by the publisher. VP of corporate communications and public affairs at Take-Two Alan Lewis told Industry Gamers, "In order to properly align its resources with its current and future goals, and to continue to develop games as efficiently as possible, 2K Sports has eliminated approximately 30 positions at its Visual Concepts studio." When contacted by Joystiq, Take-Two refused to provide further information.

The next game due from Visual Concepts is NBA 2K11 on October 5, which is said to be unaffected by the layoffs. "These reductions will not affect 2K Sports' ability to create and deliver AAA titles, including its upcoming release of NBA 2K11," the statement from Take-Two claims. As always, we wish those affected the best in the future.

NBA 2K11 devs drop 'approximately 30 positions' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 15:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Half of Studio Liverpool staff laid off

Xav de Matos — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:24:00 EST

According to a report from Develop citing inside sources, Sony has terminated half of all employees at Studio Liverpool -- the team behind the WipEout franchise. In January 2009, Sony merged Studio Liverpool (formerly Psygnosis) with Evolution Studios and last week announced plans to restructure the new team. In its report of the restructuring, GamesIndustry.biz noted redundancies "may be necessary;" however, Sony has yet to confirm how many positions were affected by the decision.

Within the comments of GI's original article, a user registered as SCEE programmer Paul Ripley wrote "I would estimate about at least 50% of Studio Liverpool has [just] been culled (myself included). Hard to work out exact numbers at the moment." Develop's inside source relayed similar information, noting Sony's layoff plans for the studio were "looking heavy."

Joystiq has reached out to Sony for comment, but has yet to hear back as of this publishing. If you work/worked for Studio Liverpool and would like to speak to us on or off the record, we're all ears.

Report: Half of Studio Liverpool staff laid off originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony 'restructuring' Studio Liverpool

JC Fletcher — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:00:00 EST

Things sound pretty rough for Sony's SCE Studio Liverpool. Following the merging of Wipeout HD developer Studio Liverpool (formerly Psygnosis) with Evolution Studios, Sony Computer Entertainment announced that it is "restructuring" the studio. According to GamesIndustry.biz, it is currently unknown how many jobs will be affected. Evidently, Sony is looking to relocate staff rather than lay them off, though, as GI puts it, "some redundancies may be necessary."

In a statement, SCE said that "production on a number of projects within Studio Liverpool will cease immediately due to project prioritisation," and assured that "this decision will have no impact of the role that the North West Studio Group will play in the future of all PlayStation platforms." Except, of course, for the part of its role that included making those unspecified projects.

Sony 'restructuring' Studio Liverpool originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SCEA consolidates first-party QA, 30 let go

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 09:00:00 EST

Sony Computer Entertainment America has laid off 30 full-time members of the company's Quality Assurance department. SCEA explained to Gamasutra that its San Francisco-based first-party QA group had been consolidated and moved to San Diego. The company would not comment on the 100 or so contract positions reportedly affected by the reorganization, as noted by Kotaku.

Sony is currently on the long road back to profitability -- expect some unfortunate bumps along the way.

Source -- SCEA Consolidating First-Party Quality Assurance [Gamasutra]
Source -- Dozens of Tester Jobs Affected in Sony QA Consolidation [Kotaku]

SCEA consolidates first-party QA, 30 let go originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Dec 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: PAIN developer Idol Minds lays off more than half of staff

Andrew Yoon — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:35:00 EST

Idol Minds, known best for the PS3 downloadable game PAIN, has laid off more than half of its staff, according to a report by Kotaku. The original team of 46 has been reduced to a mere 20 through a series of layoffs, the latest of which affected seventeen developers.

Kotaku's sources point to budget cuts from long-time publishing partner Sony Computer Entertainment. However, it's hard to ignore the irony of the team's namesake: other than a few expansion packs to PAIN, no major releases or game announcements have come out of the studio since 2007. What this means for the future of the PAIN franchise is unclear for now. Calls to both Idol Minds and SCEA were not returned.

Rumor: PAIN developer Idol Minds lays off more than half of staff originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony staff cuts unlikely to affect games division

Justin McElroy — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 10:52:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 2, Sony PlayStation 3, Business

Here's a bit of good news after hearing about job losses in Microsoft's Gamerscore Blog team: Sony says that cuts coming to the company are least likely to come from the gaming division, according to GamesIndustry.biz. The comments were, of course, made in reference to Sony's talk yesterday of restructuring, after it expected to post $2.9 billion-with-a-B in annual losses.

A spokesperson for the company told GI.biz, "As was the case with the previous Sony restructuring announcement this mainly concerns our electronics business." Here's hoping Sony's able to stick to the plan. We're sorry to hear about anyone losing a gig, but if the cuts are between "gaming" and "not gaming," we're always going to have a bias.

Sony staff cuts unlikely to affect games division originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Jan 2009 10:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Reuters: Sony may post $1.1 billion loss

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 08:45:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Sony PSP, Business

Reuters reports that Sony Corp "will likely" have an operating loss of approximately $1.1 billion this year, its first in 14 years. According to the wire service, some global economic slump that's going on right now has caused inventory for the company to stack up in all its divisions and prices to fall.

It was already expected that Sony would be cutting thousands of jobs and closing manufacturing plants, but an analyst quoted in the report believes the company will now "further accelerate its restructuring." There's no word on how the PS3 and PSP divisions of the company will be affected. The silver lining in this for consumers is that the PS3 is rumored to receive another price drop in the next few months.

Reuters: Sony may post $1.1 billion loss originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SCEA layoffs have 'no effect on game development'

Ross Miller — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 19:50:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 2, Sony PlayStation 3, Sony PSP, Business

Though initial reports stated Sony Computer Entertainment America had laid off 80 to 100 employees, Sr. Director of Corporate Communications Dave Karakker has told GameDaily BIZ that the actual number is closer to 50 or less and had no effect on game development.

Karakker backs up his claim by noting that SCEA did not need to provide a WARN notification, which is required in the US for companies with over 100 employees that are expecting to lay off more than 50. A WARN notification must be submitted 60 days prior to the layoffs.

"Everyone got severances based on their tenure with the company," he said. Karakker likened the move to "normal business practice" and said that there was no "mass exodus."

SCEA layoffs have 'no effect on game development' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 08 Jun 2007 19:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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