Rumor: Zynga shedding staff in Boston, Austin, Chicago [Update: Letter from CEO]
Twitter is on fire with messages that Zynga offices in Boston, Austin and Chicago are closing down. We have contacted Zynga and its employees for clarification.
An employee at Zynga Austin tells Joystiq, "So what I know as of now that The Ville and Bingo teams were cut. I don't know anything about Chicago at the moment." Zynga Austin is responsible for The Ville, Zynga Bingo and Slots, meaning this cut leaves just the Slots team. There are about 70 people left at Zynga Austin, the employee says.
Zynga Boston General Manager Fareed Mosavat is tweeting out job offers in the city, writing, "The outpouring of support for us has been incredible. Love this Boston scene."
Zynga Boston is behind Facebook game Adventure World, and comprises employees from Zynga's acquisition of Conduit Labs in 2010. In March 2011 it acquired Floodgate Entertainment, and by September 2011 Zynga Boston had 35 employees, some recruited from MMO developer Turbine.
Update: Zynga CEO Mark Pincus sent out a letter to employees that confirms the closure of its Boston studio and a significant reduction at its Austin studio, resulting in a loss of 5 percent of its full-time employees, among other changes. Read the letter here.
