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LucasArts Confirms Layoffs At San Francisco Headquarters
by Colette Bennett [PC, Console/PC]
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September 1, 2010
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LucasArts has confirmed to Gamasutra that the Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II developer and publisher has reduced its staff, following media reports of layoffs at its San Francisco headquarters.
After reports at consumer weblog Kotaku that a layoff of a portion of the studio was in place, LucasArts told Gamasutra in an official statement that "LucasArts is reorganizing its teams to better address the needs of the internal studio. "
The company explained: "Unfortunately, this means adjusting staffing. LucasArts continues to be committed to creating a first-class internal studio and to fostering relationships with trusted external partners in order to deliver quality games that amaze and inspire fans."
This announcement comes only a few months after new LucasArts president Paul Meegan joined the company. Meegan replaced previous president Darrell Rodriguez, who resigned, alongside several other key executives, in May of this year.
The privately owned company also lost longtime producer Haden Blackman in July. Blackman was working actively on the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II, and said that the departure was to "explore new creative challenges." The game is still currently slated for an October release.
However, LucasArts has gained several new key employees this year, including former Ubisoft Montreal creative director Clint Hocking, and Joe McDonagh, who previously acted as a senior designer for Irrational Games on BioShock -- with Hocking confirmed to be acting as creative director over an unannounced project at the firm.
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How many presidents and then layoffs has this cursed company gone through? And for what? Middling reviews on licensed product getting barely sustainable sales? C'mon, you gotta be kidding me. Is there anyone there that's survived layoff after layoff? If there is, you think they might be part of the hire-and-fire cycles that plague the company's history?
Lucas, sell this company off or dissolve it altogether and start from scratch. Geezus.
Does the employment history of this place hold any appeal for anyone seeking a career in the industry? Wow. Just wow.
(howard? great nick! a great final boss that was sadly downgraded in the KOF franchise)
when you're unemployed, specially if you need a job to sustain yourself, you really don't look that much of the past enployment history...of course it matters and you can add this detail to make your decision, but sometimes you have to take what you can!!! (and then, after you sign your contract you get calls from sveral other places, but that's another story!!!)
Best of luck to anyone affected.