A longstanding mobile games developer based in Vancouver has let go of staff amid organizational restructuring.
A Thinking Ape recently revealed the news online, with layoffs impacting a number of departments including engineering, design, and art.
“Unfortunately . . . ATA had to restructure leading to the departure of some incredibly talented people,” the Vancouver studio announced online.
ATA games have been downloaded more than 50 million times in total.
“Everyone we’ve had to say goodbye to has been instrumental in building our successful games,” the company stated.
Post-pandemic slumps have been tough on Canadian tech firms, experts say, with layoffs hitting hardest in 2022 and 2023 but still impacting companies today.
ATA’s layoffs also reflect those of parent company Embracer Group, which terminated more than 1,000 positions last year.
“We are gathering a list of affected people who are comfortable with us sharing their names,” ATA posted. “We’d appreciate any help our game industry community can provide in finding new opportunities for these amazing people.”
As one of Canada’s game-maker hotspots, British Columbia is home to the world’s largest animation and visual effects cluster, accounting for 70,000 full-time jobs and more than $3 billion in annual income, according to data from the BC Chamber of Commerce.
The province boasts nearly 200 game studios, from tiny teams making niche games to incumbent giants pumping out Triple-A titles.
Leave a Reply