Sony Computer Entertainment has confirmed to Gamasutra that Redmond-based
SOCOM and
MAG developer Zipper Interactive has seen a "reduction in workforce."
A Sony spokesperson said the move was "of normal business practice and a result of cutting back on production resources after the launch of two major franchises." The studio will continue to support existing products and develop future projects, the company said.
Sources tell Gamasutra 30 or more employees may have been affected by the layoffs, a number Sony could not immediately confirm.
The news comes after word that
SOCOM 4 lead designer and longtime Zipper employee Travis Steiner recently
left the company to create an unnamed startup.
SOCOM 4 premiered outside the top ten sales list in
NPD's monthly rankings for April, but the analyst group said the game would have made the top ten had bundles with a PlayStation Move controller and
Sharpshooter gun accessory been included.
Sony
acquired Zipper in 2006 after the company's
SOCOM series had sold 7 million copies worldwide on the PlayStation 2. That series has now attracted 12 million sales since its 2002 debut, according to the Zipper web site.
