2K Games closing NYC office

Just days after Take-Two Interactive announced a companywide restructuring, the first changes to its organization are apparently already under way. Reps for the publisher have confirmed to GameSpot that the company is closing the New York City offices of its subsidiary 2K Games.

Though reps would not themselves elaborate, they did say the details in a report on Next Generation were accurate. According to the article, the move is part of a consolidation of 2K Games' formerly New York-based administrative and publicity resources with development talent on the other side of the US.

"They're just moving to the West Coast to provide more cohesiveness," the rep said, without naming a specific studio. Visual Concepts and Kush Games, the Take-Two-owned makers of 2K Sports titles, are located in California. However, two other major internal 2K shops--Massachusetts-based Irrational Games and Maryland-based Firaxis--are on the Eastern seaboard. (Irrational also has an Australian arm.)

Much like Nintendo's recent PR department relocation, not everyone from 2K Games' New York office is making the move. The rep reportedly confirmed that "some" of the Manhattan staff are being let go, while others chose to not make the move voluntarily.

2K Games is one of Take-Two's stable of subsidiary publishers along with 2K Sports, Rockstar Games, and Global Star Software. It was formed in 2005 following Take-Two's dissolution of the Gathering--its PC-focused subsidiary--and its acquisition of Visual Concepts and Kush. 2K Games titles include Civilization IV (PC) and the forthcoming BioShock (PC, 360) as well as The Darkness (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360). It also copublished the 360 and PC editions of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion with Bethesda Softworks.