Hard times are getting to everyone these days, and it appears that THQ’s relentless axe is continuing to swing through employee after employee. Unfortunately for developers over at Big Huge Games (Rise of Nations and Catan for XBLA) this means they will fall under that axe very soon. THQ will keep Big Huge Games under contract until their current projects are completed, which is great news for RPG fans as BHG is working on an unannounced Wii game with former Elder Scrolls designer Ken Rolston.
THQ also notified two other development studios that they would be spun out as independent companies. California based Heavy Iron in Los Angeles and Incinerator in Carlsbad were let go by THQ as par of the previously announced cutbacks. Both studios were responsible for creating titles based on Pixar properties such as Incredibles and Wall E.
Reps from THQ plan to cut nearly 600 employees or 24% of its workforce, in order to cut costs by $220 million in its fiscal 2010. Confirmation has also come in that THQ has laid off 100 employees at its Champaign, Illinois quality assurance facility.
With all of these cuts going around, anyone linked to THQ has to be wondering if they’re next on the chopping block. Let’s hope things can turn around soon.
Popularity: 3% [?]
