07-23-2018, 01:06 AM
Defiance 2050 developer Trion Worlds lays off 15 staff
<div style="margin: 5px 5% 10px 5%;"><img src="http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/defiance-2050-developer-trion-worlds-lays-off-15-staff.jpg" width="200" height="200" title="" alt="" /></div><div><p>Trion Worlds, known for multiplayer online games like <em>Rift</em> and <em>ArcheAge</em>, has laid off 15 developers, seemingly across multiple disciplines.</p>
<p>The round of layoffs notably falls just weeks after the studio launched its latest online game, the free-to-play title <em>Defiance 2050</em>.</p>
<p>In a statement provided to Gamasutra, Trion Worlds CEO Scott Hartsman confirmed that 15 developers have been affected by the decision. Hartsman noted specifically that the decision to terminate those positions was not a result of the performance of those devs or “of Trion Worlds as a whole” and instead was deemed a necessary step toward developing the studio’s upcoming projects. </p>
<p>If you or someone you know has been affected by these layoffs, you can <a href="http://www.gamasutra.com/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#fa949f8d89ba9d9b979b898f8e889bd4999597c5898f98909f998ec7b69b83959c9c89">email Gamasutra</a> to share your story confidentially.</p>
<p>“We’ve had to make the difficult decision to eliminate 15 positions throughout the company,” said Hartsman. “We are extremely grateful for those who have been impacted for their hard work and contributions to Trion Worlds, and will be offering each of them severance benefits and job placement assistance. This is not related to the performance of the individuals affected nor of Trion Worlds as a whole, but was necessary to enable us to develop the upcoming projects that we have planned in the best ways possible.”</p>
<p>Trion Worlds had recently <a href="http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/320711/Trion_Worlds_acquires_assets_of_defunct_Marvel_Heroes_dev_Gazillion.php">picked up the assets</a> of the defunct studio Gazillion Entertainment for an undisclosed sum, months after the <em>Marvel Heroes </em>dev had a falling out with Disney and shut down shortly after. In a comment at the time of that acquisition last month, Hartsman told VentureBeat that Trion wants “ourselves and other developers be able to make games and succeed and have sustainable life cycles. Crunch and burn and lay off is unhealthy. We have tried to do things about it and we want to be a good member of the gaming ecology. We keep trying to do things to help other developers.”</p>
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<div style="margin: 5px 5% 10px 5%;"><img src="http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/defiance-2050-developer-trion-worlds-lays-off-15-staff.jpg" width="200" height="200" title="" alt="" /></div><div><p>Trion Worlds, known for multiplayer online games like <em>Rift</em> and <em>ArcheAge</em>, has laid off 15 developers, seemingly across multiple disciplines.</p>
<p>The round of layoffs notably falls just weeks after the studio launched its latest online game, the free-to-play title <em>Defiance 2050</em>.</p>
<p>In a statement provided to Gamasutra, Trion Worlds CEO Scott Hartsman confirmed that 15 developers have been affected by the decision. Hartsman noted specifically that the decision to terminate those positions was not a result of the performance of those devs or “of Trion Worlds as a whole” and instead was deemed a necessary step toward developing the studio’s upcoming projects. </p>
<p>If you or someone you know has been affected by these layoffs, you can <a href="http://www.gamasutra.com/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#fa949f8d89ba9d9b979b898f8e889bd4999597c5898f98909f998ec7b69b83959c9c89">email Gamasutra</a> to share your story confidentially.</p>
<p>“We’ve had to make the difficult decision to eliminate 15 positions throughout the company,” said Hartsman. “We are extremely grateful for those who have been impacted for their hard work and contributions to Trion Worlds, and will be offering each of them severance benefits and job placement assistance. This is not related to the performance of the individuals affected nor of Trion Worlds as a whole, but was necessary to enable us to develop the upcoming projects that we have planned in the best ways possible.”</p>
<p>Trion Worlds had recently <a href="http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/320711/Trion_Worlds_acquires_assets_of_defunct_Marvel_Heroes_dev_Gazillion.php">picked up the assets</a> of the defunct studio Gazillion Entertainment for an undisclosed sum, months after the <em>Marvel Heroes </em>dev had a falling out with Disney and shut down shortly after. In a comment at the time of that acquisition last month, Hartsman told VentureBeat that Trion wants “ourselves and other developers be able to make games and succeed and have sustainable life cycles. Crunch and burn and lay off is unhealthy. We have tried to do things about it and we want to be a good member of the gaming ecology. We keep trying to do things to help other developers.”</p>
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