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Gaming Giant to Close Chicago Office

EA shutters 'Fight Night'-producing studio as part of restructuring plan

By Laurel Jorgensen, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 6, 2007 11:43 PM CST

(Newser) – The video game maker Electronic Arts is closing its Chicago office, laying off or relocating nearly 150 employees, the San Jose Mercury News reports. A spokesman for EA says the Chicago studio, which had tripled in size since 2004, wasn't profitable, and likely wouldn’t have been for at least three years. The company announced plans last week to lay off about 350 of its 8,200 employees.

An undisclosed number of Chicago employees will be able to move to a different EA location, while others will get severance and outplacement services. The Chicago office produced the game "Fight Night" and had other titles based on licenses under Marvel Entertainment and Def Jam in the works.

Kathy Vrabeck, president of Electronic Arts Casual Entertainment, talks during a news conference, Wendesday, July 11, 2007, in Santa Monica, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) (Associated Press)

The Electronic Arts corporate logo. (Wikimedia Commons)

This image, provided by Electronic Arts Inc., shows scene from the new hockey video game "NHL 08." It's one of two new video games linked to the new National Hockey League season. (AP Photo/Electronic... (Associated Press)

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Gaming Giant to Close Chicago Office

EA shutters 'Fight Night'-producing studio as part of restructuring plan

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Gaming Giant to Close Chicago Office

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Chicago • layoffs • gaming • Electronic Arts • video games

MOST POPULAR STORIES

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Researchers unsure whether it's pre-existing or games change brains

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Toylets makes restrooms the new gaming hot spot

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Gaming firm creates demo showing kinky XBox possibilities

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Newser By Users

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