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Staff Axed at Big Huge Games

Rob Crossley's picture

By Rob Crossley

April 1, 2009

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THQ subsidiary Big Huge Games has been subjected to a round of layoffs, according to sources close to the matter. 

MCV reports that a “huge amount” of staff redundancies have taken place at the Maryland based studio. 

Two weeks ago THQ told staff at Big Huge Games that the studio was going to close in a matter of weeks if the publisher could not find a new buyer for it. At the time of writing, Big Huge Games has less than seven weeks to find an investor ready to save the company. 

THQ on Tuesday announced that internal developer Kaos Studios would not be taking the same fate as Big Huge Games but in fact ramping up its staff numbers as it embarks on the development of an unannounced project.

The job cuts at Big Huge Games comes after a tumultuous number of months for owner THQ. In September last year the group opened new offices in Shanghai, before the publisher underwent a senior management shuffle. 

A quiet spell over the Christmas period revealed itself to be too quiet, with the firm announcing in February that it was going to axe 600 staff; thought to be around a quarter of its global workforce. 


grognard66's picture
On April 2nd grognard66 said:

I'm very sad to hear this news. I've always had a soft-spot for this studio as they're in my home state.

OmegaVader's picture
On April 2nd OmegaVader said:

quick! some invest and commission Rise of Nations 2!

VS's picture
On April 1st VS said:

@Dreamhunk - um the developer is called Big Huge Games, which probably means they were created and enter into a deal with THQ to work on Big Huge Games. that require long development periods and heavy upfront investment to cover the studio costs.

As a the article says THQ are expanding another studio at the same time, so who knows maybe they didn't like the staff at Big Huge Games, the game they were working on (article doesn't mention, is it publicly known?) or are focusing on cheaper, quicker and more profitable games.

Again not sure what they were working on, but hope they find a means to carry on as I dislike the idea that publishers are making developers pay the price for their mistakes and the failings of other works in their games porfolio.

dreamhunk's picture
On April 1st dreamhunk said:

I'm sorry to hear that, but game devs were pre warned before the recssion. Also alot of game devs like to flirt with high production costs too much.