A source close to the matter tells Gamasutra that Gameloft is closing its studio in Valencia, Spain this week and laying off a number of developers who work there.
If this sounds familiar, it’s because we’ve reported enough Gameloft studio closures in the past year or so that you could practically copy and paste the details. The company has now closed more than seven studios as part of an “ambitious cost reduction program” that helped Gameloft’s profits rise last year, though it shed at least 850 jobs in the process.
That number now seems likely to rise even higher, as the aforementioned source (vetted by Gamasutra) estimates that the closure of Gameloft Valencia may put as many as 18 developers and staffers out of work. This number is believed to be a skeleton crew, as Gameloft had reportedly already conducted an earlier round of layoffs at its Valencia studio last December.
As always, if you or someone you know was affected by this event you can contact Gamasutra to tell your story in confidence.
Gamasutra has reached out to Gameloft representatives for confirmation and further comment on this news, but has yet to receive any reply. This is the response they’ve previously given when asked about why Gameloft is closing studios and laying off staff:
“In the past twelve months, Gameloft has been actively managing its production organization and refocusing on it most efficient and experienced creation centers in order to adapt to rapidly changing market conditions and to increase revenues more profitably.”