ArenaNet, the studio behind the popular online games Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2, informed employees today that it is planning big layoffs, according to a person who is there. Although ArenaNet did not give out exact numbers, and they may not yet be finalized, rumors floating around the studio signal that a significant number of people will be let go.
Songyee Yoon, the CEO of Korean publisher NCSoft, which owns ArenaNet, e-mailed employees this afternoon with the news. "Our live game business revenue is declining as our franchises age, delays in development on PC and mobile have created further drains against our revenue projects, while our operating costs in the west have increased," she wrote. "Where we are is not sustainable, and is not going to set us up for future success."
Yoon added that the company plans to "cut costs across the organization" and restructure across the board, merging ArenaNet and NCSoft's publishing divisions in the process.
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