Square Enix is undergoing a “fundamental restructuring,” diverting resources from overseas development studios and putting more than 100 jobs at risk.
According to an internal presentation published on the website Square Enix website “A fundamental restructuring of the overseas publishing organization is underway to further strengthen global publishing capabilities and improve operational efficiency.”
According to IGNit is part of an effort to consolidate its publishing business and focus on developing its own games in Japan.
The company is believed to be currently notifying some UK and US staff of upcoming redundancies, and while the exact number of those slated to be made redundant in the US is unknown, IGN reports that 137 UK jobs are currently at risk.
“To strengthen development capabilities from a Group-wide perspective and optimize the allocation of resources to maximize the value created by IP, additional analysis of the development process was conducted,” Square Enix said.
“As a result, the decision was made to close the overseas development studios and move to consolidate development functions in Japan.”
In a press statement, Square Enix said: “We are reorganizing our operations in North America and Europe to strengthen our development structure and implement a globally integrated marketing strategy. This was an extremely difficult decision, taken after careful consideration and analysis by our management to best position the Group for the long-term growth.
“We extend our sincere gratitude to the talented team members who will be leaving the company for their significant contributions to Square Enix. During this transition period, we remain committed to treating each individual with the utmost respect and providing full support throughout this process.”
Square Enix did not specify how many jobs are now at risk as part of these plans.
