More Origin Closing Details (March 1, 2004)

[Bandit LOAF]

More Origin Closing Details

The Austin Business Journal is reporting that Electronic Arts will lay off 64 employees in the process of closing their Origin studio. Though the total number of people currently employed at Origin is unknown, 64 is somewhere between one quarter and two thirds of the total workforce.

Austin-based game development company Origin Systems, a division of Electronic Arts Inc., will shut down local operations and lay off 64 employees in the next three months.

Redwood City, Calif.-based Electronic Arts reported its plans in a letter to the Texas Workforce Development Commission. The reductions include software engineers, online support representatives and administrative support staff.

That said, the article goes on to make a rather odd claim:

"I think when EA bought Origin Systems six or seven years ago, they had the goal of closing the Austin office eventually."

In fact, EA bought Origin in 1992. As much as I hate to play the apologist, it is absolutely worth pointing out that Electronic Arts' money was responsible for funding every Wing Commander project from Wing Commander II Deluxe Edition on. Try to remember that the next time you're bashing EA at a message board... they made a lot of mistakes, but they were also responsible for allowing a lot of great things to happen. And I'll take playing Privateer over trying to find someone to blame for the current situation any day.


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Original update published on March 1, 2004