Montreal-based video game studio Onoma, formerly known as Square Enix Montreal, closed its doors on Tuesday, just months after being acquired by Swedish group Embracer.
The team of a smaller quality control studio has also been laid off. The announcement does not concern Eidos-Montreal or the San Francisco-based studio Crystal Dynamics, also acquired last May by the European video game distribution company.
In a press release sent from London, CDE Entertainment, a subsidiary of Embracer, indicates on the contrary that it wishes to “focus its future production capacities on its flagship studios, Crystal Dynamics and Eidos-Montreal”.
The closure of Onoma affects around 200 employees, “who will be fully supported throughout this transition”, says the Embracer group.
The company says it wants, “as far as possible”, to place some of the laid-off employees in “open positions at Crystal Dynamics and Eidos-Montreal”, but it recognizes that many colleagues will have to find work “outside the group”. .
“I am sad to report that I have been affected by the recent layoffs at Square Enix Montreal/Studio Onoma,” wrote Nedjma-Sandrine Belbahri, now former director of communications at Onoma, on LinkedIn. “I am hopeful that other fantastic opportunities will arise soon,” she added, indicating that she is looking for a new position.
The testimony of Mr.me Belbahri was soon followed by several more of his former colleagues. At the time these lines were written, there were about fifteen similar messages on the professional social network.
Developers working at competing studios also posted job openings.
A sudden turnaround
“The closure of our Onoma studio is a difficult decision, which we have made with great care and consideration,” Phil Rogers, president of CDE Entertainment, said in a statement.
Onoma was indeed one of the major players in the Montreal industry. The studio has developed several paid AAA mobile games — an industry term for blockbusters — including Hitman Go, Lara Croft Goand Deus Ex Go.
The company also seemed to evolve, unveiling its new brand image only three weeks ago.
The closure of our Onoma studio is a difficult decision
Onoma was working on two new mobile games, which, unlike the first ones, had to be free. Tomb Raider Reloaded and Avatar Generations were expected for 2022.
Embracer did not indicate what the fate of these productions will be, but stressed that it had “great ambitions for Crystal Dynamics and Eidos-Montreal” and saw “growth opportunities centered on quality franchises and AAA games”.