CCP Games Lays Off 49 Employees

It’s honestly eerie to read a report like this after yesterday’s The Guardian article on the cancellation of World of Darkness: Polygon is reporting that CCP just laid off 49 employees as part of their ongoing “restructuring” effort. Apparently the Reykjavik office was particularly affected:

As part of this restructuring, 49 employees will be laid off beginning today, we are told. CCP issued us the following statement, adding that severance packages will be offered to its employees who have been let go:

“As part of our strategy to focus on the EVE Universe, today CCP conducted a restructuring that resulted in the layoff of 49 people in our publishing organization. Though it is hard to say goodbye to our friends and family, this action concludes the process we started several months ago. CCP has provided severance packages and job placement assistance for those affected.

“Development teams and plans for EVE Online, EVE: Valkyrie, DUST 514, and ‘Project Legion’ are not impacted by the restructuring.”

Sources close to the matter tell Polygon this is a “gigantic cut” for the Reykjavik office; however, staff at the company’s other offices are affected as well. We’re told this is likely the result of investor pressure, while CCP staff at the executive level remain untouched so far.

As always in these cases, we hope that everyone affected lands on their feet. Between this and the closure of Irrational and Mythic, this feels like a particularly grim period for the people working in this industry.