Eurogamer has confirmed that Driveclub developer Evolution Studios will be losing 55 staff members.
They confirmed this rumor with two independent sources, so even though Sony and Evolution haven’t given official confirmation of this, it is likely to match closely with the actual number.
This amounts to roughly half the entire studio, and includes permanent staff. Some of the 55 employees may be retained as contractors, but this is also up in the air.
Sony announced this restructuring last week, but did not publicly share any numbers. Sony did reveal then that they were shifting delivery of the game into a service, and that Evolution is still committed to releasing the PlayStation Plus version.
Based on the evidence, it seems doubtful that Evolution Studios will be making any new games, at least not anytime soon. On the other hand, Sony won’t be closing the Runcorn, UK based studio anytime soon. At the very least, Evolution will be kept on to ensure Sony keeps all their promises for Driveclub, and keep the servers running for as long as the game is played.
It’s a sad twist for what was certainly one of the most anticipated titles for the PlayStation 4. While the console has not suffered from Driveclub’s poor showing, Sony has not walked out of the situation unscathed.
Gameranx wishes the best for all current and outgoing Evolution Studios employees.
