Layoffs at Codemasters; EA Tries to Calm the Situation
The plague of layoffs has not spared Codemasters. EA has vowed that the downsizing is minor, but the lack of commercial success of F1 23 and EA Sports WRC does not bode well for the future.
Black clouds are gathering over Electronic Arts-owned studio Codemasters. In a statement published on IGN, an EA representative announced that the developers of a number of racing game series have been hit by layoffs. He did not reveal exactly how many people have lost their jobs - so far only "minor organizational changes" are mentioned.. Here is the full text of the announcement:
"Our business is constantly changing as we strive to deliver amazing games and services that keep our players engaged, connected, and inspired. At times, this requires the company to make small-scale organizational changes that align our teams and resources to meet evolving business needs and priorities. We continue to work closely with those affected by these changes, providing appropriate support throughout this process."/p>
The layoffs come less than three years after the acquisition of Codemasters by EA. Shortly after the merger was announced, CEO Frank Sagnier and CFO Rashid Varachia left Codemasters. Shortly thereafter, the Codemasters Cheshire team was put to work on Need for Speed Unbound, which, however, was not received well enough.
This year saw the release of two Codemasters games: F1 23 and EA Sports WRC, which also failed to achieve commercial success. This may have had a significant impact on the decision to cut jobs in the development team.
At this point, it is unclear whether and to what extent the layoffs will affect Codemasters' operations in terms of creating more racing games and developing those already released. EA is trying to calm the situation, but it can't be ruled out that this is only a prelude to further, more extensive cuts. The next weeks and months will certainly be full of reports on the subject.
