Casual games developer Big Fish Games is to undergo a major restructuring programme that will lead to nearly 140 people losing their jobs at the company’s bases in the US and Europe.
According to the Seattle Times newspaper, 49 people will be laid off at the firm’s Seattle headquarters in the US state of Washington, while the company will also close its European headquarters in Ireland – confirming the loss of 89 jobs.
Paul Thelen, founder and chief executive, sent a letter to employees on Thursday morning stating that the company would also replace its president and close a studio in Vancouver, Canada.
The six employees at the Vancouver branch have been offered roles at the US headquarters, while 70 employees in Seattle have also been reassigned to new positions as part of the restructure.
“We are making these adjustments from a position of strength, not weakness, and I am confident that our best days are ahead,” Thelen said.
“We had to make some very hard choices about these business areas that are not growing or profitable.
“I want to stress that our decisions are not based on our company-wide performance or that of the people working on those initiatives – both of which are strong – but because of where the market is growing, and quite frankly, where it is not.”
