Krome CEO confirms layoffs, but studio 'still open'
With rumors swirling last month that Australia's Krome Studios was closing its doors, CEO Robert Walsh informed IGN Australia that while ongoing reports of layoffs are true, the developer is "still open" and still has working employees. Additionally, Walsh insisted the studio has projects currently in production, as well as more "on the horizon."
"I wouldn't say our industry is doing well at the moment, but we are really focusing on more digital and social work and not as much box product," Walsh clarified. He added that such projects don't require large teams.
Walsh admitted that Krome had kept too many employees on staff -- somewhere around 400 before the layoffs began -- even when there was no work for many of them. "To be really honest, that's pretty much led to our current position," Walsh explained. "We probably kept 100, 120 people on, waiting for work to come in." Now, Krome will focus on paying work and keeping a "smaller, core team" that should range from 40 to 100 staff depending on the number of the studio's projects at any given time.
Despite the trying times, Walsh is determined to keep as many people on board as possible. "My goal right now is to try and find as much work as possible for the people we've got, and still look for more work to get people back."
