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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
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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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(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)
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.
The Electronic Arts corporate logo.   (Wikimedia Commons)
This image, provided by Electronic Arts Inc., shows scene from the new hockey video game
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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Related links

EA Official Web Site
EA Official Web Site

Fight Night Web Site
Fight Night Web Site

Read Memo From EA Games President
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