Electronic Arts moves Maxis

Today, sources at Electronic Arts confirmed what has been rumored for the past week: EA is folding Maxis into its central corporate offices. Currently, Maxis operates out of a now-cramped building in Walnut Creek, California. Their new digs will be in EA's Redwood Shores headquarters, some 30 miles to the east.

"Maxis was running out of space at Walnut Creek," an EA spokesperson told GameSpot this morning. The current management team at Maxis, Luc Barthelet, Lucy Bradshaw, and Sinjin Bain, will relocate to Redwood Shores, as will most of Maxis' 300 staffers.

Maxis founder Will Wright will remain in Walnut Creek where he and a dedicated staff will focus on Wright's as-yet-unnamed project currently in development. As for the degree to which Wright will remain in a leadership role on future Sims projects, the spokesperson said, "Will Wright is integral to the Sims brand, so that will continue." It has yet to be decided if Wright and his team will stay in the current Maxis facility or relocate as well.

Maxis' new offices will be located in EA's recently completed studio facilities. The newest building on the EA campus, referred to internally by its address, 250 Shoreline, has seen greater and greater use since it was completed approximately two years ago. The move is part of an overall shifting of teams and building up of EA hub locations--to better take advantage of the production facilities available at those locations, according to the spokesperson.