EA Facing Restructuring, Layoffs

Industry behemoth and evil empire Electronic Arts is reported to be bracing for restructuring and layoffs as slumping profits fuel concerns of weakness in the once-invulnerable company.

A report posted on Destructoid says that an internal EA email, provided by an anonymous source, has demanded adjustments from every layer of the company in order to rein in costs. Employees at EA Mythic and EA Redwood Shores have already been affected by the cuts, as the Ultima Online team at Redwood Shores is being relocated to Mythic's studio in Virginia. According to an email from Mythic vice president Rob Denton will be handled through "attrition, performance management, stricter hiring guidelines and layoffs." Personnel at both studios have already been cut, with further layoffs expected.

The email sent to Destructoid was not published in its entirety but included the excerpt, "Given this, John Riccitiello, our CEO, has tasked the company to get its costs in line with revenues. ... Every studio, group and division of the company has been tasked to review its overall headcount and adjust its organization to meet the needs of the business moving forward."

EA, which recently purchased BioWare and Pandemic Studios, is composed of nearly 30 separate studios worldwide.