Electronic Arts Trims Staff in "Streamlining" Effort

[[Coi] Mr.CLuBBeR]

Rough times continue for EA.

Games publisher Electronic Arts has started handing out pink slips in another round of job cuts. It's unclear how many people EA plans to let go, though it appears most of the layoffs are being focused on the publisher's Montreal-based mobile development studio, which had been rumored to be in the process of shutting down. EA said it doesn't plan to close the studio, though it did confirm the layoffs.
"EA is sharpening its focus to provide games for new platforms and mobile," EA said in a statement, according to Reuters and Polygon. "In some cases, this involves reducing team sizes as we evolve into a more efficient organization. These are difficult decisions to let go of good people who have made important contributions to EA, and whenever possible we retrain or relocate employees to new roles. Streamlining our operations will help ensure EA is bringing the best next-generation games to players around the world."
The job cuts come a little over two weeks after John Riccitiello resigned as CEO on March 30. Former CEO and Chairman Larry Probst took over the role on an interim basis as EA searches for a permanent replacement.
"My decision to leave EA is really all about my accountability for the shortcomings in our financial results this year. It currently looks like we will come in at the low end of, or slightly below, the financial guidance we issued to the Street, and we have fallen short of the internal operating plan we set one year ago. And for that, I am 100 percent accountable," Riccitiello wrote in a letter to employees.
EA Mobile Montreal was home to around 300 employees before the cuts.
Image Credit: Flickr (rp72)
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