We’re waiting to hear if the studio was closed
[Update: PlayStation responded to our inquiry. The layoffs were confined to a certain team, and the studio has not closed. Here’s PlayStation’s response in full:
“We can confirm there has been a reduction in headcount at San Diego Studio. The teams working on MLB The Show, Drawn to Death and Guns Up! have not been affected. We continually evaluate teams and programs at SIE Worldwide Studios to ensure we have the proper resources in place to deliver innovative products within a competitive landscape. As projects are completed, it is natural to review and restructure teams around current and future needs. We wish our departing team members success as they pursue new opportunities and we have nothing but heart-felt thanks for their contributions to PlayStation.”]
It appears as though an undisclosed number of employees were laid off at PlayStation’s San Diego branch. Amid the confusion of the developing story, its unclear if the studio has been closed or if an isolated team was let go.
The news comes via Twitter from former employee Noah Watkins. He said “Well… Our entire team was just laid off here at the #playstation studio in San Diego. Anyone looking for a UI artist/designer?” Watkins later tweeted at Blizzard’s account to inform that prospective employer of the layoffs.
PlayStation’s San Diego developer is well-known for working on a number of titles. It’s the studio that puts out MLB: The Show every year, and it recently made Kill Strain. As of today, it is/was also collaborating on creating David Jaffe’s Drawn to Death.
While we’re unsure if PlayStation San Diego is still operational, Sony’s careers site seems to be a beacon of hope. There are many listings for jobs in the San Diego office, although it’s unknown what their posting dates are.
We’ve reached out to PlayStation PR for clarification as to whether the studio was shuttered or a group of employees was laid off. We didn’t receive a response at time of publishing. We’ll update this post if/when we get a reply.
@noahwatkins [Twitter]
