A twist tonight in the video game industry. After buying Square Enix Montreal and renaming it, the Onoma studio is closing its doors following the decision of Embracer Group. The news is reported by the very serious Jason Schreier via the Bloomberg site.
Back to Square One
For some time now, the Embracer group has been talked about quite regularly with its numerous studio takeovers. This is not without a hitch since we recently remember a change of studio for Star Wars KOTOR Remake or the small disappointment with the reboot of Saints Row.
One of the biggest acquisitions concerned the western branch of Square Enix with in the lot: Crystal Dynamics, Eidos-Montreal and Square Enix Montreal. Unfortunately, we learn today that the latter is closing its doors almost a month after renaming the studio (Onoma). The developers are particularly known for the many “GO” mobile games like Hitman Go and Lara Croft Go.
According to statements by an Embracer representative, this closure has resulted in the layoff of 200 people, even though a good part of the workforce has apparently been relocated to Eidos Montreal. This decision is apparently motivated by savings and a concentration of resources on AAA games on PC and consoles. With such objectives, it is difficult to keep a studio specializing in mobile games.