I am receiving second-hand information that there were some small-scale layoffs at EA today. I believe the reductions occurred on the Need for Speed team which is part of whatever remains of Black Box. I’m not sure exactly what the numbers were or why the layoffs happened. In Vancouver, there are now enough unemployed game developers that you could take them all and start up a new studio with probably two teams, each working on a multiplatform game.
Just in the last six months, significant number of unemployed developers have come from: EA layoffs from late October, Propaganda Games layoffs from Pirates being canceled, Propaganda Games layoffs from complete studio closure, EA layoffs from the EA Sports Active team, and of course layoffs from United Front Games when True Crime: Hong Kong was canceled. The games industry in Vancouver has continued to take a beating and there is no end in sight. This not a good time to be looking for a gaming job because there are so many candidates out there right now, just in this city. Add in applicants who are from out of town and you’ve got too few jobs and a lot of people going after the same job.
I am not sure how this will turn out. Could the future become even bleaker? Maybe.