CCP lays off 15 in Atlanta, but World of Darkness MMO continues dev

CCP Games today laid off approximately 15 developers working on its long-in-development World of Darkness MMORPG at its Atlanta, Georgia offices. The game has been in development since at least 2009, according to public statements made by CCP. It was first mooted immediately following the 2006 merger of Iceland-based CCP with Atlanta's White Wolf, a pen-and-paper game company and creator of the popular World of Darkness universe. A CCP spokesperson provided this statement to Gamasutra regarding the layoffs: "CCP today made strategic adjustments to the staffing on the team working on the World of Darkness project in Atlanta that resulted in the elimination of approximately 15 positions at the company. The change was due to our evaluation of the game's design and ongoing development needs. While this was a difficult decision, CCP remains committed to the franchise and our promise to make a compelling, rich, and deep World of Darkness experience." CCP last saw significant layoffs in 2011, at which point the company reorganized the World of Darkness project. At the time, CCP CEO Hilmar Petursson told Gamasutra that the game was "moving forward in a slower pace, and also more decoupled from the overall development roadmap for CCP," as emphasis on the project had been adversely affecting the development of its flagship title, EVE Online. In April 2012, creative director Reynir Hardarson laid out the title's new direction for Gamasutra, but we haven't heard much about the game since that time.