Posted on Monday 6-Feb-2012 2:09 PM

EA confirms Vancouver studio layoffs

'Small number' of employees affected as EA undergoes 'transformation'

By Andy Robinson for computerandvideogames.com

EA's confirmed a "small number" of layoffs at its Vancouver studio, which is responsible for the FIFA and Need for Speed series.

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Speaking via a statement issued to IndustryGamers, the publisher explained the Canada studio is undergoing a "transformation" towards digital games and services, which has affected an unspecified number of staff.

An EA spokesperson said in a statement:

"EA in Vancouver is transforming its studio to align with EA's transformation to high-growth digital formats, including online, social gaming and free-to-play. Employees in our BC studio are learning new skills and working on digital games and services, and there are many examples.

"Developed at the EA SPORTS studio in Burnaby, the FIFA Soccer franchise represents the cutting edge of AAA gaming integrated with multiplatform extensions and online features.

"The Need for Speed World team in Burnaby is leading the digital transformation with 11 million registered players. As the BC studio makes this transformation, a small number of employees are being impacted while most others are being retrained, redeployed and rolling-on to new projects."

EA's digital distribution service, Origin, recently hit 9.3 million subscribers.

[ Source: IndustryGamers ]

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Andy Robinson
Andy Robinson
Editor

Andy has written about video games for ten years for publications such as PC Zone, T3, The Sunday Mirror and of course, CVG. Read more

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Comments

3 comments so far...

  1. Report this post Reply with quote
    billysastard on 6 Feb '12 said:

    good to hear, the more layoffs from publishers who try to sell online passes the better, pity it hits the workers first and not the bean counters at the publishing house but with luck ea and the other greedy scum will follow thq into self inflicted bankruptcy.

  2. Report this post Reply with quote
    theideal on 6 Feb '12 said:

    good to hear, the more layoffs from publishers who try to sell online passes the better, pity it hits the workers first and not the bean counters at the publishing house but with luck ea and the other greedy scum will follow thq into self inflicted bankruptcy.

    You're a f**king idiot.

  3. Report this post Reply with quote
    Ali_ on 6 Feb '12 said:

    Can they sack the idiot who made such a fecking mess of NFS: The Run? That had the possibility of being the best NFS game since the original 3DO version, but they dropped the ball so catastrophically it was almost funny.