SEGA sells Relic

[Wirdschowerdn]

Sega sells Relic and will cut 240 jobs across UK studios​

Creative Assembly, Sega HARDlight and Sega Europe will be impacted by the changes

News by Christopher Dring Head of Games B2B

Published on March 28, 2024

Sega has sold Relic Entertainment, and will cut 240 roles across Sega Europe, Creative Assembly and Sega HARDlight
Relic is best known for the Company of Heroes and Dawn of War games, and recently developed the new Age of Empires for Microsoft. Relic will transition to an independent studio and will no-longer be part of the Sega group of studios.

The majority of the 240 job cuts are across Creative Assembly and Sega Europe, while there will be a ‘small number’ cut from Sega HARDLight. There was no mention of other Sega UK studios, including Two Point Studios and Sports Interactive.

Creative Assembly had already suffered a range of redundancies following the cancellation of its Hyenas project last year.
“Sega is working closely with Relic on this shift, and we wish them the best for the future,” wrote Jurgen Post, who is the newly appointed head of Sega Europe.

“I want to sincerely apologise for the worry and understandable distress this news will cause, particularly for those directly affected. These decisions have been incredibly tough to make, and they follow meticulous consideration and deliberation with leadership teams across the business. Change is necessary to secure the future of our games business, and to ensure that we are well placed to deliver the best possible experiences to our players going forward.

“We need to streamline, focus on what we are good at, and position ourselves as best we can for the road ahead. In order to do that, we need to respond to the changing economic landscape and the challenges we’re facing in the way we develop our products and bring them to market.”

Post apologised to staff if they should hear about this news via social media or the trade press, which is due to Sega’s legal obligation to notify the Tokyo Stock Exchange first.
Sega’s cuts is the latest in a long run of layoffs that has impacted the games industry over the last 12 months, with almost every major games company reducing its headcount due to sluggish growth and rising costs.

 

[Baron Tahn]

Whoa thats some powerful necromancy.

 

[Hellraiser]

Seriously just make a new thread "SEGA sells Relic, cuts jobs".

 

[LizardWizard]

Sega is a garbage tier publisher so it's just a matter where Relic's IPs end up assuming they're keeping em.

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

Relic is now independently run. You can count the minutes now until they'll get assimilated into the Gamepass Reich.

 

[Hellraiser]

Sega is a garbage tier publisher so it's just a matter where Relic's IPs end up assuming they're keeping em.

What Relic IPs? Company of Heroes? Unless they also might still have rights to Impossible Creatures.

DoW is probably similarly to Space Marine on the whims of Games Workshop due to their W40k licensing policy those almost 20 years ago.

Homeworld went to Gearbox/BBI ages ago.

AoE is Microsoft.

They haven't made a new IP since CoH in 2006, only licensed those of others.

 

[IDtenT]

The question is, who bought Relic? The studio directors? Where is the money coming from? Did they just get cut free transfer style? Independent doesn't mean anything. Are they looking to just get picked up by Microsoft?

Creative Assembly was being carried by the weight of licensed IP. They haven't made a good Total War in over a decade. Paradox GSGs completely destroyed them.

SEGA should just rally around Sports Interactive. Free money every year.

 

[lycanwarrior]

The question is, who bought Relic? The studio directors? Where is the money coming from? Did they just get cut free transfer style? Independent doesn't mean anything. Are they looking to just get picked up by Microsoft?

Creative Assembly was being carried by the weight of licensed IP. They haven't made a good Total War in over a decade. Paradox GSGs completely destroyed them.

SEGA should just rally around Sports Interactive. Free money every year.

Supposedly some private equity firm I think.

 

[Assisted Living Godzilla]

Surprised they never put them back to work on something like Warhammer 40K: Space Marine before doing this.

This almost seems like someone over there meant to sell off Creative Assembly after the whole Hyenas thing but got the two companies mixed up.

 

[Space Satan]

Relic is a bioware of RTS'
COH3 - absolute garbage
DOW3 - killed the series
Age of Empires IV - actually developed by World's Edge
They have no talent left.