Sony Liverpool (SCEE) layoffs and projects cancelled?

[Elandyll]

http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2010/01/...ir-jobs-today/

Please Max say it ain't so O.o
Back in the days WipEout was the very reason I bought a PS1, and WipEout HD definitely played a big part in my PS3 purchase...

http://www.wipeoutzone.com/news.php?id=159

WipEout HD Devs To Lose Their Jobs Today?
(Update 2) Sony Liverpool for the chop? Say it isn’t so.

According to WipEoutZone.com, SCEE is poised to announce “sweeping redundancies” at Studio Liverpool today, with the WipEout HD team rumoured to be affected. This is the first we’ve heard of this and hopefully it isn’t true, the amazing PS3 game was a poster child for 60fps, 1080p (or thereabouts) gaming and recently hit the news again with its 3D capabilities.
This would be a real shame if it happens, I’m a big fan of Studio Liverpool and although their output had slowed since the PSP WipEout games, Fury was brilliant and as far as I knew was selling reasonably well. We’ll comment further once we hear more, but if you’re affected please let us know in the comments and we’ll try to get to the bottom of this.
If it’s true, TheSixthAxis wishes the team all the luck in finding new positions.
Update: we’ve been told that apparently it is true.
Update 2: public notice: “It has been decided that production on a number of projects within Studio Liverpool will cease immediately due to project prioritisation. Our North West Studio Group has been and will continue to be a vital cog in the WWS family, with a history of producing genre defining games such as MotorStorm, WipEout, Formula 1 and WRC and this decision will have no impact of the role that the North West Studio Group will play in the future of all PlayStation platforms.”

[Maximus]

Confirmed.

Sad times. They are really decent guys, and a lot of them have been relocated within the company, and the others shouldn't have difficulties finding a new job around Europe.

I hope they all land safely.

On the game side, I think the cancelled project was unannounced, none of the currently released franchises (WipEout, Motorstorm) are cancelled, though I need confirmation of that.

I think a shooter team (new) and the F1 team were most affected.

[TheWildWhelk]

So we are talking about Studio Liverpool and Evolution Studios? I'm asking based on there being no news about a third PS3 Motorstorm title since Pacific Rift's release in 2008. Motorstorm Pacific Rift is a brilliant game, but not quite the mega-success Sony were expecting.

[phranctoast]

Sony lost the F1 property anyway. Isn't codemasters doing the latest?

[JonD7]

Oh no that's terrible.

[kingofgrills]

Originally Posted by phranctoast

Sony lost the F1 property anyway. Isn't codemasters doing the latest?

Yes, they've released a PSP F1 game, and I'm hoping an new PS3 version will follow in the near future.

I really liked F1: Championship Edition, and I was looking forward to future versions. I hope we'll have more good F1 games for PS3 soon.