One of the the biggest and most influential MMO game developers in the world, CCP, has announced a reorganization that will involve 20 percent of its total workforce being laid off. The company announced the plans in a press release today. Most of the people affected by the changes currently work at CCP's Atlanta, Georgia offices while a few people in CCP's world headquarters in Reykjavik, Iceland will also be laid off.
The press release did not give specific numbers but a previous statement made a couple of weeks before today's announcement said that CCP had over 600 people working in various studios around the world. If true, that means CCP has let go of approximately 120 of its team members today.
In today's press release CCP admitted that the company had made some mistakes over the past several months in regards to adding new features and content to EVE Online, the space-based MMO that launched in 2003. Those new features included adding cosmetic virtual items and putting in a flawed Captain's Quarters feature that caused many players to not only complain but to depart the game.
Today's announcement from CCP said that the company will be focusing most of its development efforts to improving and expanding EVE Online and to finish Dust 514, the Playstation 3 exclusive sci-fi first person shooter that will link with the PC-based EVE Online. World of Darkness, the horror-themed MMO project that's been under development for the past few years, will continue but "with a significantly reduced team." Even with the dip in subscription numbers in EVE Online in the past few months, CCP says the numbers are still higher than they were a year ago.
The press release concluded with this statement, "As an innovator in the industry, CCP has never shied away from tough decisions, remaining agile to allow for shifts in production, technology and gaming trends since even before the launch of EVE Online. While our decision to refocus is a solemn one, it will benefit our players through a renewed commitment to the EVE Universe and its fans."
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