[Megasoum]

According to an article in La Presse (the biggest french newspaper in Québec) the Visceral branch of EA Montreal was hit with a wave of layoffs and might actually be closing down.

No numbers on the layoffs yet but the news just broke so more details coming soon.

Only source is in French, will update once I find other sources.

http://affaires.lapresse.ca/economie...a-montreal.php

EDIT:

Confirmation from Frank Gibeau on the EA Blog

http://www.ea.com/news/transition-is-our-friend

Yesterday Sony unveiled the PlayStation 4, signaling that after seven years, gamers will be treated to a massive leap in technology, creativity and fun. In the months ahead, we expect more announcements on new platforms and partnerships. For EA’s creative teams, this transition comes as no surprise. We’ve been investing and innovating on new technology for months. Console partners who have seen our early work agree, EA’s next-gen software is nothing short of astonishing. At a GameStop company meeting earlier this week, we gave 500 store managers a sneak peak at Battlefield 4. The game received a huge ovation and thousands of fans reacted to a single enthusiastic Tweet by GameStop’s CEO. And every bit as impressive as the console initiative is the way our teams have pivoted to capture the mobile phenomenon. EA has established a clear leadership position on both the iOS and Android systems and we’ve set new standards for business models and gameplay. The Simpsons: Tapped Out has been a runaway success and next week we will release Real Racing 3, a free-to-play masterpiece from our Firemonkeys studio, with graphics many people mistake for a current generation console experience. EA’s leadership on these high-growth platforms allows us to retain and attract the industry’s best talent. Thousands of our existing employees have been retrained and redeployed to work on the new platforms and initiatives. But when it is not possible to redeploy a team, we soften the tough decisions with assistance. This week we let some people go in Los Angeles, Montreal as well as in some smaller locations. These are good people and we have offered outplacement services and severance packages to ease their transition to a new job. Console transitions are a complex and challenging experience. I’ve helped navigate several and agree with an old saying we have at EA: Transition is our friend. All the trend lines are converging to reward the creative and financial investments we have made in mobile and console technology. We have never been more ready or more excited about what comes next.

[Nokterian]

This storm never ends. A lot of people lost there jobs today.

[AlphaTwo00]

Visceral Montreal was just wrapping up Army of Two, weren't they?

[Megasoum]

Visceral Montreal was just wrapping up Army of Two, weren't they?

Yeah and they worked on Dead Space 3 also.

[Gamer @ Heart]

Jesus christ at this industry.

[NZNova]

Jesus christ at this industry.

Pretty much. Damn.

[Hero of Legend]

How much of the Wii team of EA Montreal still exists? I heard some formed mobile companies/divisions.

[Shaanyboi]

Hope these guys can find something soon.

THE AAA GAMING INDUSTRY, GUYS!

[DTKT]

Le géant américain du jeu vidéo Electronic Arts sabre dans son personnel montréalais. La Presse a appris que l'un des trois studios du groupe à Montréal, Visceral Games, faisait l'objet de réduction de personnel importantes aujourd'hui. La nature des coupes et le nombre d'employés affectés restent pour l'instant inconnus. Une fermeture complète ne serait pas écartée. Les employés du studio ont récemment participé à la création du jeu Deadspace 3, lancé le 5 février. Ils doivent normalement aussi mettre la touche finale à Army of Two : The Devil's Cartel, le troisième opus d'une série entièrement conçue à Montréal. La publication de ce jeu est prévue pour le 26 mars prochain, ce qui laisse croire que sa production vient de se terminer. Les deux autres unités d'Electronic Arts à Montréal, Bioware et EA Mobile, ne seraient pas affectées par ces coupures. Electronic Arts a annoncé à la fin janvier des résultats financiers inférieurs aux attentes pour le 3e trimestre et réduit ses prévisions pour pour l'année entière.

EA Mobile and Bioware seem to be intact. I guess that DS3 didn't do as well as they thought.

Not much info.

[Gooster]

Game industry: the anti-Oprah

[GulAtiCa]

Damn. that sucks. :(

[Glass Rebel]

Hope these guys land on their feet.


Can't wait for next-gen!

[CrunchinJelly]

Visceral Montreal was just wrapping up Army of Two, weren't they?

This kind of shit is happening way too often these days.

[antitrop]

Visceral Montreal was just wrapping up Army of Two, weren't they?

If this is true, it's probably nothing too out of the ordinary.

[Eideka]

Natural selection.

[Imbarkus]

EA Mobile and Bioware seem to be intact. I guess that DS3 didn't do as well as they thought. Not much info.

In all these cases...

...it seems like it's the guys making the sales projections that should be fired.

[NotLiquid]

Yeah and they worked on Dead Space 3 also.

Urgh, I guess EA really weren't beating around the bush when they talked about the game needing to sell a ton of copies.

Also I'm pretty sure the only Army of Two game that Visceral worked on is the upcoming one. Crap franchise but their involvement has generally been minimal.

Visceral Montreal made Army of Two. Visceral Redwood Shores primarily makes Dead Space.

Ah so two different branches of Visceral exist? Well then, I stand corrected.

[Nirolak]

This is quite unfortunate. Best of luck to those effected.

EA Mobile and Bioware seem to be intact. I guess that DS3 didn't do as well as they thought. Not much info.

Visceral Montreal was mostly making Army of Two.

Visceral Redwood Shores primarily made Dead Space.

[Last Hearth]

In all these cases... ...it seems like it's the guys making the sales projections that should be fired.

but Visceral probably asked for the budget.

Without those optimistic sales projections they never would have gotten the budget.

Welcome to AAA game development, where you only survive if you win the mega-hit lottery.

[LiK]

Confirmed

[Kazerei]

Translation-ish...

The american videogame giant Electronic Arts is slashing its Montreal staff. La Presse has learned that one of the three EA studios in Montreal, Visceral Games, was the object of important staff reductions today. The nature of the cuts and the number of employees affected are for the moment unknown. A complete closure is not out of the question. The employees of the studio recently participated in the creation of the game Deadspace 3, released on February 5. They are supposedly putting the finishing touches on Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel, the third entry in a series entirely created in Montreal. The release of this game is scheduled for March 26, which lets us believe that the production has just ended. The two other EA studios in Montreal, Bioware and EA Mobile, will not be affected by these cuts. EA announced at the end of January financial results below expectations for the 3rd quarter and reduced its forecasts for the fiscal year. More details to come.

Sounds like they're done with Army of Two, so they got the axe

[slightconfuse]

The Game comes outnext month EA must be really confidant about it.

when will the madness end, seesm this type of thing is mroe likely next gen.

anyone know what is up with Bioware victory, not much has been said about generals 2 sine the VGA announcement.

[Nirolak]

Ah so two different branches of Visceral exist? Well then, I stand corrected.

There were five at one point, but one was only like five people (Visceral Los Angeles), one was twenty people and got shut down with job offers to move to Redwood Shores (Visceral Melbourne), and now another one (full studio) has been closed (Visceral Montreal).

Visceral Redwood Shores and Visceral Shanghai still exist.

[Haunted]

Army of Two is a terrible franchise and the new game looks to be the worst offender yet, but it's never good to hear people lose their jobs in this industry. Here's hoping everyone lands on their feet and manages to get to work on something better next.

[antitrop]

The Game comes outnext month EA must be really confidant about it.

Army of Two and Army of Two Two both sold very well.

Pretty sure this ones gonna be a bomba, though.

[GameE]

http://www.ea.com/news/transition-is-our-friend

[x-Lundz-x]

What does this mean for Army of Two?

Did they seriously finish the game and then lay off the staff?

[Crawl]

didnt deadspace 3 just go on sale for $40? 2 weeks after release? yikes..

[Donutta]

I expect to see this with every game that doesn't make sales targets. :(

[Haunted]

What does this mean for Army of Two? Did they seriously finish the game and then lay off the staff?

Fairly common in the industry (sadly). Patch and support duty dumped on another dev.

[antitrop]

didnt deadspace 3 just go on sale for $40? 2 weeks after release? yikes..

For one day, yeah.

Don't read into it.

[Crawl]

so wait is the dead space 3 studio or the army of two studio? I am so confused.

[Darklord]

Maybe EA should stop fucking up their franchises in this horrible idea of making everything sell like Call of Duty? All their games now have this awful EA executive taint to them.

[LiK]

so wait is the dead space 3 studio or the army of two studio? I am so confused.

Army of Two

[Duxxy3]

Just noticed that Dead Space 3 came out 2 weeks ago.

Usually if a game sells well EA will issue a press release within the first week.

Combine that with it already being widely available for $39 and this studio closing and... I don't think we are going to see a Dead Space 4. I think the franchise is kaput.

For one day, yeah. Don't read into it.

It's STILL available for $39.

[antitrop]

Maybe EA should stop fucking up their franchises in this horrible idea of making everything sell like Call of Duty? All their games now have this awful EA executive taint to them.

Are you trying to say the first game in this franchise that was released five years ago didn't?

They didn't fuck up Army of Two, it was fucked from the beginning. Not a terrible game, but certainly not very noteworthy to begin with.

[SeanNoonan]

Damn shame, I know people there :(

That being said... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5CVsCnxyXg

[Jtyettis]

EA starting to layoff again. Not good.

[Meccanical]

No more Army of Two?

Oh nooooo...

That said I hope everyone who is laid off can get back on their feet.

[Crawl]

didnt dead space 3 need to sell 5 mill to continue? i am looking at you mr. gibeau

[antitrop]

didnt dead space 3 need to sell 5 mill to continue? i am looking at you mr. gibeau

Wrong Visceral Games.

[DTKT]

My fear is the Montreal gaming bubble bursting with subventions getting cut. It's going to be a really bad day what that happens.

[domlolz]

https://twitter.com/missharvey/statu...78545387565056

I'm surprised there wasn't a thread already

[XANDER CAGE]

This is the Army of Two studio, not Dead Space, right?

[Takao]

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=514816

[Biggzy]

This is the Army of Two studio, not Dead Space, right?

Correct

[domlolz]

This is the Army of Two studio, not Dead Space, right?

Yeah apparently, I should edit the title

[MechaX]

This is the Army of Two studio, not Dead Space, right?

EA Montreal is Army of Two.

... But, if Visceral is being included in this (and not just Visceral branches in Montreal), yes, that includes the Dead Space people.

[fvng]

That's sad, hope they find jobs soon. GAFers who demand people in this industry lose their jobs be damned

[Mr.Fresh]

Codecow :(