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THQ has shut the doors to two of its Australian studios this week, as well as a development team in Phoenix totalling 200 employees gone.
The two Australian studios to close their doors are THQ Studio Australia in Brisbane, which closes today, and BlueTongue Entertainment in Melbourne, which will go some time this week. The Phoenix Quality Assurance team is unaffected by the elimination of the development team there.
The move comes are part of an internal development realignment wherein THQ plans to focus on its key IP and shift away from kids’ titles and film tie-ins.
Brian Farrell, president and CEO of THQ, said: "By right-sizing our internal development capacities for our console portfolio, our five internal studios are focused on delivering high-quality games with talented teams driving the execution of those titles to market."
"We will continue to evaluate our capital and resources to concentrate on fast growing digital business initiatives such as social games, mobile and tablet -based digital entertainment."
While THQ has announced that all staff in studios being closed down are eligible to apply for any open positions elsewhere within the company, it hasn’t confirmed whether any new positions are opening up to accommodate that shift.The MX vs ATV franchise is also being canned as a result of the realignment.
The closures add THQ’s Australian studios to a growing number of defunct and sold-off studios in Australia, with THQ Brisbane and THQ Melbourne joining Krome, Auran and Pandemic.
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