Codemasters synes i stigende grad at ville specialisere sig indenfor racing-spillene. Deres Bodycount er knapt nok kommet på gaden, og nu har den britiske spilproducent har besluttet sig for at lukke og slukke for deres Guildford-afdeling, som har været ansvarlige for netop dét spil. Det er gået ganske stærkt. Gamesindustry.biz erfarer, at samtlige ansatte blev kaldt til hastemøde i dag kl. 11.00 og også folk på ferie var blevet kaldt hjem. Det er planen at Codemasters’ Birmingham-afdeling (F1, DiRT) skal udvides yderligere. Beslutningen kommer måske ikke som den store overraskelse, men er alligvel en trist begivenhed for den britiske spilbranche, som til stadighed bliver mindre og mindre.

Staff at Codemasters Guildford were called to a company meeting at 11am today, where they were told the company was proposing to close down its Guildford operations.

A source told GamesIndustry.biz that Guildford staff were asked to return from holidays to attend the meeting, and many began to receive emails from a recruitment company early this morning.

“The company is proposing to retire from its facility in Guildford, most recently responsible for the shooter Bodycount,” confirmed the company in an official statement.

“If progressed, the move will affect 66 Guildford studio personnel; staff are now involved in a consultation period to discuss the proposal.”

The company intends to close down its action and strategy teams, and instead focus on its more successful racing brands like Dirt and F1 at its Southam and Birmingham studios. Birmingham will grow to include a second team to work on a new racing IP, opening up new job opportunities.

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