Mobile developer Gameloft has closed its London studio, resulting in an unknown number of layoffs.
Mobile developer Gameloft has laid off an unknown number of employees following the closure of its London office. The company, founded in France in 1999, still maintains 18 other offices across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas.
Gameloft’s U.K. studio closure was announced on LinkedIn by managing director John-Paul Burke. In the post, Burke said that Gameloft’s London studio closed down last week, adding, “For me as someone who has been playing Gameloft games from 2005 it was a dream job and I thank them for the opportunity. It gave me a fantastic platform and took me to beautiful cities and worked with amazing clients and colleagues.”
While Burke doesn’t make direct mention of layoffs, he does mention by name several members of senior staff and end his statement by saying, “if you see a CV with Gameloft UK on it come across your desk. You have my word they are the best of the best.” He also makes mention of “big things to come” from him, but doesn’t specify if he is moving on to another position at Gameloft or leaving the company. Before the layoffs, Gameloft had 4,600 employees around the world, according to its website.
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In a follow-up statement reported by Gamasutra, Gameloft clarified the reason for the London studio’s closure. “We are adjusting and redeploying our commercial network to reflect our priorities, and we have decided to create business hubs and rely on the most dynamic regions,” Gameloft said. The studio will continue its work in the U.K. market from its offices elsewhere in Europe, but the amount of business it was doing there wasn’t enough to make keeping a local office a priority.
As for the workers who lost their jobs in the closure, Gameloft said, “We are working with all employees, on a case by case basis, to find the best way to handle their situation in accordance with local employment regulations.” The company didn’t comment on how many workers were laid off, or from what positions.
