On separate posts in the DC Universe Online, Everquest, and Planetside 2 forums, Sony Online Entertainment has confirmed that they have laid off employees from the studio. They did not provide numbers or other specifics.
Community Relations manager Linda “Brasse” Carlson explains that they made the decision after considering the work they would be putting onto upcoming MMOS Everquest Next Landmark and Everquest Next. Their rationale was that they could lower costs, streamline their employee numbers and realign resources in the buildup to releasing these games.
On follow up posts, community managers for DC Universe Online and Planetside 2 reassert that they are committed to supporting their respective games, and that these changes will not affect the quality or the support for these games.
Everquest Next will be the next installment in the Everquest franchise, but is not meant to be a sequel or part of the current Everquest timeline. It will instead be placed in a parallel world similar to the current Everquest world. In connection to this, Everquest Next Landmark will be an open sandbox game allowing you to help build up the actual Everquest Next world.
SOE doesn’t seem to be struggling to make money, and Sony can cite profitability on their games since they all went free-to-play. The news kind of implies that Sony Online was overstaffed, or at least needed people with different skillsets than who they already had to help them set up this new Everquest. Let us hope Sony made the right call this time and we get a better Everquest Next out of this.
Image is from Everquest Next.
