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SOE sends 41 staff packing

By Brendan Sinclair, GameSpotPosted Jul 17, 2009 3:23 pm PT

DC Universe Online and Free Realms developer cuts 5 percent of workforce from payroll to "increase operational efficiency," cut costs.

Last month, Sony Online Entertainment boasted of a successful launch for its Free Realms massively multiplayer online role-playing game, which saw more than 3 million users sign up within its first seven weeks of release. That wasn't successful enough, apparently, as today the developer confirmed for GameSpot that it had instituted a round of layoffs.

SOE is currently working on a variety of games, perhaps none more anticipated than DC Universe Online.

"In a move to increase operational efficiency and reduce costs, Sony Online Entertainment has eliminated 5 percent of its full-time workforce, equaling 41 people," an SOE representative said. Last March, the formerly semi-independent MMOG-focused studio was folded into Sony Computer Entertainment, although it remains a distinct label.

In addition to Free Realms, Sony Online Entertainment operates the long-running EverQuest and EverQuest II MMO games. It also has a number of anticipated titles in the pipeline, including The Agency and DC Universe Online. When asked where the job cuts were made, an SOE representative declined to elaborate on the previously issued statement.

The gaming industry has seen several developers undergo staff cuts lately. Midway this week laid off its Chicago headquarters, shuttered its Newcastle studio completely, and gave its San Diego arm notice that it would be closed if a buyer for the studio wasn't found before September. Reports also emerged early this month that Damnation developer Blue Omega saw its entire development team eliminated.

121 Comments

  • KBFTodd

    Posted Jul 22, 2009 11:11 am PT

    Yea right, free realms if you don't want to do anything.....

  • Spikedjester

    Posted Jul 22, 2009 7:38 am PT

    IDC! I hate SOE for what they did to SWG. Soe tries to control everything and one of the worst companies to buy a game from, cause its gonna be crappy and bug filled and broken gameplay and no matter how many players will plee for them to fix it, they never will.

  • solidstein

    Posted Jul 21, 2009 12:19 pm PT

    i thought the agency was being developed by rockstar and SoE was keeping there hands off and just publishing the game but i might be wrong i mean i know SoE can never keep there hands off i guess they still think EQ is the king of mmorpg and vangaurd could have been the next big thing but they released the game WAY to early and all the players left by the time the worked out all the kinks

  • poppen695

    Posted Jul 20, 2009 3:53 pm PT

    I don't understand why they don't just fire the remaining staff of Star Wars Galaxies. It's not like those guys have done anything (productive) in years anyway. That would free up tons of wasted money they could use to ruin other online games.

  • damonkeypirate

    Posted Jul 20, 2009 10:07 am PT

    Ya know i get how companies want to become more efficient, but wouldn't be even more efficient and better ethically NOT TO HIRE MORE EMPLOYEES THAN THEY NEED IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!...That is the main problem with most companies. They project only growth with little room for error and are nearly always met with disappointment. The CEOs or department heads over extend the resources they already have in a bad direction for the company and it ends up costing middle class workers their jobs. Yes, it is sad to see, but if more research was put into their business ventures this would happen less often and less publicly giving them better PR, more productivity (because the people actually with jobs wouldn't be in fear of losing it).

  • scarface_dm

    Posted Jul 20, 2009 9:45 am PT

    From last I heard The agency and DC Universe online had horrible controls and by the looks of this will contnue ?

  • chaisemon

    Posted Jul 20, 2009 9:30 am PT

    41 people can start their own company isint it?? afterall they all know each other and am sure they have all the tools they need in their pc in home.. it wil b just like sucker punch company, in the end they released infamous.

  • slipknot611

    Posted Jul 20, 2009 8:49 am PT

    I just really hope that this doesn't effect the quality and/or release of The Agency and DCU Online. Those both look like awesome games for the coming year, and I really hope SOE knows what they're doing when they're slicing and dicing. I know the economy sucks today and all, but think about the future, Sony!! Seriously feeling the pain of those folks they've sidelined, too...

  • Socomnewbie

    Posted Jul 20, 2009 6:49 am PT

    Top company execs would never dare imagine taking a pay cut not in America!!! they prefer 1/2 the company get laid off than to even lose $1 from their six figure income. I would gladly praise any exec who would voluntarily take a pay cut to save a few jobs ....

  • LosDaddie

    Posted Jul 20, 2009 6:23 am PT

    Makes sense. MMOs are rarely successful

  • nappan

    Posted Jul 20, 2009 6:16 am PT

    Wow.. 41 whole people. Somehow this is unimpressive in light of the MILLIONS of lost jobs in the USA alone, never mind worldwide during this recession.

  • mmnlm1982

    Posted Jul 20, 2009 4:44 am PT

    goodluck sony!!!!!

  • carbonic_acid

    Posted Jul 19, 2009 11:00 pm PT

    @chaisemon:
    I very much agree; even if the economy is bad, I don't know why companies and people in general seem to have forgotten the concepts of depromotion and simple WAGE DECREASES

  • metalkid9

    Posted Jul 19, 2009 9:23 pm PT

    @chaisemon, not in this economy

  • Zoomer30

    Posted Jul 19, 2009 8:57 pm PT

    May as well get ready for more layoffs once they take Star Wars Galaxies of life support as well.,

  • sammoth

    Posted Jul 19, 2009 7:39 pm PT

    @foeleaf
    Here is ther list Mr. Ignorant Sony Fanboys
    http://www.gamingtarget.com/article.php?artid=7934

  • godzillavskong

    Posted Jul 19, 2009 7:25 pm PT

    They cut more of the bottomline sector, but yet I bet the CEOs and Vice Presidents of the companies have yet to take a pay cut.

  • chaisemon

    Posted Jul 19, 2009 4:21 pm PT

    41 people?? isint that a bit too many to get fired with no reason???

    thres gotta b a reason!!! cudnt they hav just depromoted 82 staff rather than firing 41 all together!! poor guys! wait til they take revenge on sony.. lol..

    ps. i want more games on my ps3 and quick.. so sony, hire em bac!

  • FarmFreshDX

    Posted Jul 19, 2009 4:08 pm PT

    brendanhunt, stop spamming and condense your comments into one. You don't need four posts to play Sony Defense Force.

    This whole move is either a real financial need or just financial greed. After all, why keep staff on when the game is doing so well? You can cut all the people who aren't needed any more and save some cash. If it's the latter, it'll knock Sony down another peg on the respect meter.

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