Sandsoft, a cellular developer headquartered in Saudi Arabia, is closing its studios in Riyadh and Barcelona, Spain, whereas shedding round 65 staff within the course of.
First reported by MobileGamer.Biz earlier at present, the layoffs are affecting round 40 employees members in Barcelona and 25 in Riyadh. The outlet was advised that the job cuts are affecting staff engaged on internally developed video games, whereas these working in publishing are protected. The studio is trying into transitioning a number of the affected members into the latter, however there is not any affirmation as of but.
“Sandsoft is doubling down on publishing, an space of our enterprise the place we’ve already demonstrated important progress and see important alternatives for future success,” Sandsoft CEO David Fernández advised MobileGamer.
“As a part of this strategic shift, we’ve made the tough resolution to shut our inside studios in Barcelona and Riyadh. We deeply recognize the staff’s creativity and dedication, and we’re absolutely dedicated to supporting everybody by means of this transition.”
A spokesperson added that the choice “is not in regards to the high quality of labor or expertise at these studios,” and that “it is actually about concentrating our sources the place we are able to have the most important affect and construct sustainable progress.” As such, the staff will now be concentrating solely on publishing.
Sandsoft nonetheless has two workplaces in Finland and China
As reported by PocketGamer.BizSandsoft signed three new video games as not too long ago as March of this yr. Again then, the studio additionally stated it had “a number of extra” video games in testing and scheduled to launch all year long.
The Riyadh studio is closing merely three years after opening, whereas the Barcelona studio was opened in 2023. Earlier that very same yr, Fernández spoke to MobileGamer.Biz a couple of plan to turn out to be a mega writer.
“Our ambition is to be a frontrunner within the cellular video games trade, from our area to the world, in the identical method that you’ve got within the U.S. not simply cellular, however bigger organizations —you have got the Activisions, you have got the Take-Twos, you have got Digital Arts,” Fernández stated. “Seeking to China, you have got Tencent and you’ve got NetEase. We need to be a kind of.”
