PopCap has today confirmed to Gamasutra that, following a consultation period, the company has moved to close its Dublin, Ireland-based offices, laying off 96 staff in the process.
The company said last month that it was performing an "exploratory consultation" to determine whether it could maintain its office in Dublin. Today's layoffs follows on from 50 layoffs across its North American branches.
Garth Chouteau, PopCap's senior PR director, noted that the company is providing outplacement support for the 96 employees affected, either in other parts of PopCap, at EA, or with other partners in Ireland.
"Europe remains a critical market for PopCap," he said, "and we will continue to grow our presence through centralized services operated from our North American offices and through the extensive European EA network."
It's notable that PopCap's parent company EA stated last week that it will create 300 more jobs at its Irish customer service centre over the course of the next year.
but they dont even do that well. Look at their stock, its been a poor investment for years. I mean even during this FED bubble market run up they are still stuck at 13ish. It's pathetic really. Whats it going to go do during the upcoming correction and likely world recession?
i just "love" how companies try to spin layoffs as natural and a good and healthy thing, when in reality it is nothing of the sort. I mean if Ireland and that market were actually important to you, you dont lay off your staff there. I love this consultation period nonsense as well, it means EA sent in the BOBs and figured out how to dump people. EA is a joke.
Owning, for example, the Plants v Zombies IP looks good on the balance sheet; paying salaries and benefits, not so much.
I do wonder why EA even bothered given the significant $ advantage the Philipines and India can offer wrt to customer service.
Maybe popcap had an arrangement with the Irish gov that EA has to honor? Handouts for certain # of jobs a la Rhode Island?
Sorry to be so cynical about all this.