Although SEGA of America is in a good position, to the extent that they already have a workers' union, the European division is not as fortunate. Today it was revealed that the company behind Sonic has sold to Relic and if it was not enough, 240 people across this region will lose their jobs.
Through an unexpected statement, SEGA has revealed that Relic, studio famous for the Company of Heroes series, will no longer be part of its group. This means that this team will become an independent organization. Unfortunately, this is not all, since SEGA Europe joins the terrible wave of layoffs that has affected the video game industry in the last year.
Total, There is talk of 240 layoffs across Creative Assembly and SEGA Europe, as well as a “small number” of cuts at Sega HARDLight. At the moment it is unknown if any other teams in the United Kingdom, such as Two Point Studios and Sports Interactive, will suffer from this same fate. In this regard, Jurgen Post, director of SEGA Europe, commented the following:
“Sega is working closely with Relic on this change and we wish them the best for the future.
I want to sincerely apologize for the concern and understandable distress this news will cause, especially to those directly affected. These decisions have been incredibly difficult to make and are due to meticulous consideration and deliberation with leadership teams across the company. The change is necessary to secure the future of our gaming business and to ensure that we are in a good position to offer the best possible experiences to our players in the future.
We need to rationalize, focus on what we are good at, and position ourselves as best we can for the path ahead. To achieve this, we must respond to the changing economic landscape and the challenges we face in the way we develop our products and bring them to market.”
At the moment there is no talk of any canceled projects, or similar layoffs in the United States and Japan. Without a doubt, a quite tragic decision that shows us the complicated state the video game industry is in right now. On related topics, these are not SEGA's first layoffs. Likewise, the new Crazy Taxi would be a AAA production.
Editor's Note:
It's a real shame. Relic is a great studio, and their work with the Age of Empires series was incredible. At the moment it is unknown in whose hands the ownership of Company of Heroes is, but it is likely to be some time before we see a new installment.
Via: GamesIndustry.biz
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