Subject:  News : Rumors of UO & UXO Projects Relocating to California |
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Darkstone News
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Date Posted: Tue, Feb 24 2004, 08:28pm
Posted on Stratics by...
Joshua Rowan
(UXO & UO Stratics Project Manager)
Hail UO and UXO Fans,
We are receiving information this morning indicating that something very serious may be hitting the news in the next few days (maybe as soon as today). So far, it is all unsubstantiated rumors, but with enough evidence behind them that we believe the information to be very close to the truth. For that reason, I am posting this to our news so that everyone can prepare for it in case it does come to pass.....
With that said, the rumor and speculation is that Electronic Arts Corporate may be shutting down Origin Systems Inc (OSI, also known as EA Texas) and moving both the Ultima Online and the Ultima X: Odyssey projects to the California location. The hope is that as many current staffers (including dev teams) as possible will be relocated as well, but at this point we have no details on that. To say the least, our thoughts and hearts go out to the people that may be affected by this.
So far, there has been no official comment from anyone at Electronic Arts or Origin Systems about this, but the second we do get it we will share it with all of you.
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A bit more news to share with all of you about the latest rumors of UO and UXO being relocated to California and the Origin Systems Development Studio being shut down as a result.
First, Waterthread.org has posted some details based on a AustinXL News Mailing List that they belong to. As they explain, the following was posted to the newsletter today:
QUOTE
Electronic Art's Austin Unit Origin Systems to Shut Down
Game company Electronic Art's is expected to tell it's Austin employees this week that the company will be shutting down Origin Systems, its Austin operations, according to sources. Employees will be offered an opportunity to relocate to California or accept a severance package. Company officials could not be reached for comment. Austin is the # 3 location in the U.S. for game development with more than 50 companies making major contributions to the game industry, including game development, publishing, tools and middleware and chips and hardware.
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In a related story about another Electronic Arts studio, Maxis (developers of The Sims line of games), Gamespot reported the following just last week, indicating that a consolidation of EA-owned studios may be becoming a trend.
Here is what Gamespot's Article states:
EA brings the Sims developers to its corporate headquarters.
Today, sources at Electronic Arts confirmed what has been rumored for the past week: EA is folding Maxis into its central corporate offices. Currently, Maxis operates out of a now-cramped building in Walnut Creek, California. Their new digs will be in EA's Redwood Shores headquarters, some 30 miles to the east.
"Maxis was running out of space at Walnut Creek," an EA spokesperson told GameSpot this morning. The current management team at Maxis, Luc Barthelet, Lucy Bradshaw, and Sinjin Bain, will relocate to Redwood Shores, as will most of Maxis' 300 staffers.
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