EA reportedly shuttering Origin

According to AustinXL, tomorrow Electronic Arts will shutter its internal studio Origin Systems, developers of Ultima Online. The Austin, Texas, business newsletter stated that "employees will be offered an opportunity to relocate to California or accept a severance package." Sources tell GameSpot the move would affect at least 100 Origin staffers.

Another source with close ties to EA independently confirmed the news, saying such a move is "in keeping with EA streamlining its operations."

AustinXL, a creation of Christopher Sherman (who is also the executive director of the Austin-based Game Initiative), cited sources within Origin. Sherman told GameSpot today that such a closure "would not spell the demise of the Austin game development community by any stretch." Previous layoffs at Origin "have spawned a bunch of spin-offs and startups," Sherman said.

Origin Systems founders Richard and Robert Garriott, in fact, created one of Austin's most renowned startups. After selling Origin to Electronic Arts, the two brothers founded what would become NCsoft Austin, the local arm of Korea's most successful game developer and publisher, NCsoft.

An Electronic Arts spokesperson neither confirmed nor denied the AustinXL story. "Thanks for bringing this to us," the spokesperson said. "EA is constantly evaluating best practices and structures for our worldwide studio operations. At this time, we have no changes to announce."

If true, the Origin closure would be EA's second major developer consolidation in as many weeks. Electronic Arts recently announced that it would significantly reduce the scope of its Walnut Creek, California-based Maxis studio and move the majority of its staff to EA's Redwood Shores headquarters.