Sony Online Entertainment Closes Its Seattle Division

Seattle gaming aficionados suffered a brutal one-two punch yesterday, as Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) announced it will be shutting down three of its locations, including its Seattle office, and it will be laying off 205 employees - nearly a third of its total workforce.

According to a statement released by the company, the closures came on the heels of SOE’s decision to refocus its priorities on its existing online franchises, such as their “Everquest” and “PlanetSide” online role-playing games. This strategic decision also meant putting a halt to “The Agency,” an online spy game that had been in development at the Seattle location since 2005.

Along with Seattle, SOE’s Tucson and Denver divisions were also shut down.

It’s unclear exactly how many of the 205 employees are located in Seattle, but odds are that our home will be disproportionately affected by the lay-offs: The Seattle Time’s Brier Dudley reports that the Seattle office employed over 100 developers at one time, while the LA Times’ blog states that the majority of the cuts will be in the Pacific Northwest.

SOE’s statement claimed that they are taking measures to “ensure team members affected by the transition are treated with appropriate concern.” However, SOE president John Smedley took a more personal tone in a Twitter message posted yesterday afternoon.

“This is a shout out for 205 wonderful game makers that lost their jobs today,” the message read. “If you have a job for them, e-mail me.”