38 Studios, Big Huge Games Lay Off Staffs

By Adam Larck on May 24, 2012@adamantlee

The unfortunate saga of 38 Studios and Big Huge Games has come to an end today.

The entire staff of 379 full-time employees were laid off, WPRI reports. The station received an internal memo that reads: “The Company is experiencing an economic downturn. To avoid further losses and possibility of retrenchment, the Company has decided that a companywide lay off is absolutely necessary. These layoffs are non-voluntary and non-disciplinary. This is your official notice of lay off, effective today, Thursday, May 24th, 2012.”

Right now, the games industry is helping to rally around the former employees, making a Google Doc with jobs listed in the industry for these employees to try and find a quick turnaround.

In other 38 Studios news, Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee said that Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning “failed” to make the 3 million mark to break even, according to Joystiq. Studio head Curt Schilling said the game sold 1.22 million copies in 90 days.