It’s been a month of layoffs, cutbacks and closings, and one more developer has joined the unfortunate theme: Square Enix has announced today that their London-based studio will be facing a round of job cuts.
The London based Square Enix studio is called “The Beautiful Game Studio” and is the company behind Championship Manager, a football (fine, I’ll say soccer) simulator. It’s been a longstanding series, having had annual versions put out each year since 1992. As of late, the Championship Manager series has come under tough competition from Sega’s Football Manager series, which continually takes more and more of their profit – and is likely a significant factor behind the announced layoffs.
The official Square Enix Statement left little explanation for the job cuts:
“Our current business model does not allow us to compete in a fast-changing industry with any degree of flexibility or commercial confidence.”
The developer did confirm that The Beautiful Game Studios – and the Championship Manager series – will live on, but it’s a tough call whether or not they’ll be able to compete with less staff working on the game.
What do you think of the layoffs? Do you prefer Championship Manager over Football Manager?
Source: Kotaku
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layoffs should be expected in a games studio where there product isn’t competing with its main rival, and I expect to hear of other studios trimming staff to.
Having followed the series since the Domark days, its been obvious since the Eidos/Sports Interactive split, where the talent, and the true Championship Manager. Without SI, Eidos have only ever produced a poor imitation of the Championship Manager series, which does still lives on, its just its called Football Manager!
“Square Enix Announces Layoffs”
Is that a new game?
this sounds like an awseom RPG game, LAYOFFS
is it sci-fi or steam punk?
Layoffs: The 2010 Economic Simulation Game!
Player 1: EA Games, 240 points
Player 2: Pandemic Studios, -5 points