Sony Online Entertainment  has axed 41 staff members, or five per cent of its workforce.

The Free Realms and Everquest developer and publisher confirmed the news in a statement issued to Massively, but chose not to comment on which positions had been affected.

"In a move to increase operational efficiency and reduce costs, Sony Online Entertainment has eliminated five per cent of its full-time workforce, equalling 41 people,” it said.

“SOE looks forward to continuing its leadership role in the online games industry as it celebrates the highly successful launch of Free Realms, the ten-year commemoration of its ground-breaking EverQuest franchise, and the continued performance of the company's other games."