Jobs at stake as THQ closes Warrington studio
NEARLY 50 jobs are to go at a Warrington-based video games firm after its US parent decided to move product development to Canada.
Los Angeles-based THQ, which is listed on the Nasdaq stock market, wants to close THQ Digital Warrington – formerly Juice Games – as well as its KAOS studio in New York which created the Homefront game.
Juice, set up in 2003 and acquired by THQ in 2006, was behind Juiced, Red Faction: Battlegrounds and Warhammer 40,000: Kill Team. It has a staff of 46 and it is understood they have all been put on notice.
The decision is a blow to the north West games sector and follows the decision by US games giant Activision to pull the plug on its Liverpool Bizarre subsidiary in January with the loss of some 200 jobs. Canada continues to be a destination for games developers because of attractive tax breaks.
In a statement THQ said the decision was down to a “strategic realignment” within its studio structure.
“THQ continues its strategy of aligning the best industry talent with the company’s marquee franchises,” said the company. “The Montreal studio will take over product development and overall creative management for the Homefront franchise. The Montreal studio actively collaborated with KAOS on Homefront.
“The company continues to strengthen its internal creative development expertise and is actively hiring in many of its internal studios, including Montreal and Vancouver, Canada, as well as Austin, Texas. THQ’s UK studio and KAOS employees will have the opportunity to interview for open positions with the company globally.”
Annual figures posted by the company last month show sales slipped 26% to £406.9m and pre-tax losses widened to £82.6m from £6.7m.
