It seems like just about every game development studio out there has been experiencing layoffs these days.
The unfortunate subject of today’s layoff story is Turbine, the developer of Lord of the Rings Online. Currently, it is unclear how many employees were laid off. Neither Turbine nor the parent company, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, has come forth with a statement detailing exact numbers.
However, a spokesperson did tell Game Informer that Turbine “continues to remain an integral part of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.”
This seems particularly peculiar considering The Lord of the Rings Online recently released the Riders of Rohan expansion, which wasn’t received poorly at all. Perhaps The Lord of the Rings Online just isn’t generating the sort of revenue Turbine needs anymore.
We have gotten to a point where game development costs have inflated so high that smaller studios are struggling to stay afloat. While bigger studios churn out AAA title after AAA title, smaller studios have become forced to stick to the indie or mobile space. In a very real way, it’s because consumer habits favor the most sensationalist games.