As many as 175 people are without jobs following significant layoffs at Trion Worlds, according to a report from Gamasutra. The layoffs came as a result of Trion Worlds’ acquisition by Gamigo.
“While many of the names and faces you’ve come to know in our studios will remain on through this transition, others will not be making the journey,” Trion Worlds said in a statement on the Rift forums. “To those who are leaving us, we are forever grateful for your incredible work and contributions over the years.
“From the bottom of all of our hearts, we thank you for your time and dedication to our games and hope that you’ve enjoyed the experience as much as we have. From spending time with you in game, to seeing you at conventions, to talking with you on livestreams and forums, it’s been our pleasure to be a part of this exceptional community with you since our first launch more than seven years ago.”
Gamigo, a Germany-based publisher, is best known for browser games and free-to-play titles. Its purchase of Trion Worlds adds the MMO Rift to its stable of games, as well as Defiance 2050, Trove, and Atlas Reactor.
According to a source speaking to Gamasutra, as few as 25 Trion Worlds employees will be making the transition following the buyout. It previously employed over 200 people. In the wake of the announcement, Trion Worlds CEO Scott Hartsman tweeted out a call for other publishers and developers with job opportunities to reach out to former Trion employees.
Hell of a day. Plenty of time to talk later. For now, GAMES/TECH, RECRUITER/HIRING MANAGER FRIENDS: If you’re looking for great folks and are open to being contacted directly, please DM: name, email, company, roles, location. Thanks!
— Scott Hartsman (@hartsman) October 23, 2018
Often, a CEO’s sentiments ring hollow against the death knell of a company and its closing doors. Hartsman has been a vocal supporter and advocate for transparency in leadership, however. Trion Worlds is the latest in a long string of studios that have been hit hard by end-of-year financials. The candor that Trion Worlds exhibits certainly wasn’t shared by Telltale Games in the wake of their “majority studio closure” little more than a month ago and the contrast is palpable.
Sam, the Editor-in-Chief of GameDaily.biz, is a former freelance game reporter. He's been seen at IGN, PCGamesN, PCGamer, Unwinnable, and many more. When not writing about games, he is most likely taking care of his two dogs or pretending to know a lot about artisan coffee. Get in touch with Sam by emailing him at sdesatoff@rektglobal.com or follow him on Twitter.
GameDaily.biz © 2024 | All Rights Reserved.
