Sony is restructuring the UK based developer Evolution Studios. The team is still working on Driveclub, but now focusing on updates for the racing game and the launch of the long-delayed PS Plus Edition. Sony decided to relocate some members of the team, but some redundancies will necessary, Sony confirmed to Eurogamer.
Driveclub was planned to be available for launch of Playstation 4 in November 2013. After some delays it finally hit stores on 10 last year, but there were major server issues and we still wait for the release of the free Playstation Plus Edition. Even if it should be said that the game has sold relatively well, in particular in Europe and as part of bundles.
Sony commented the layoffs with: "Evolution Studios will now focus on DriveClub as a service going forward, in particular, the important launch of the PS Plus Edition. We will be restructuring Evolution Studios to ensure that SCE WWS and in particular, Evolution Studios are in the best position to achieve these goals.
Our first party development studios are key to our creative strategy and we are very excited about the future projects being worked on and the role Evolution Studios will play."
One interpretation of Sony's words would be that Evolution Studios won't be working on any new big project in the near future. Our thoughts go to those who lost their jobs and we hope they will find new positions quickly.