Take-Two Interactive will shut down "Two Dots" developer Playdots soon, according to the latest report by Bloomberg. The New York-based studio was already notified that 65 employees would be laid off as part of the decision.
Take-Two is Closing Down Playdots
(Photo : Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
The affected Playdots employees can now apply for the other vacant spots at Zynga.
When Take-Two acquired Zynga for $12.7 billion, the company was aware that its actions might affect the other staff in another studio.
The decision to shut down Playdots might be connected to the acquisition, as Game Developer notes in its article. Zynga will continue to manage "Two Dots" under its care, but the affected employees of the game studio will be forced to apply for other vacant positions in the same developer.
For those unfamiliar with Playdots, this studio did not only publish "Two Dots." It also released "Dots&Co," "Dots," and "Garden Tails."
What could happen next to these games is to be announced soon, the report says.
Engadget writes in another story that Take-Two first interacted with Playdots two years ago following its $192 million acquisition.
Take-Two acknowledged on its Q1 2022 earnings report that the said studio was "among the largest contributors" for its net revenue. It's still questionable why the leading game publisher resorted to this kind of decision after the Zynga deal.
A Difficult Decision to Do
According to Alan Lewis, Take-Two Interactive's spokesperson, the decision to close down the studio was a "difficult decision" to make for the part of the whole organization.
"Everyone affected by this decision will have the opportunity to apply for other jobs at Zynga and those who do not find new roles will be eligible to receive severance," Lewis added.
He explained that this decision would be compatible with the company's current objectives in business. In the meantime, he also confirmed that "Two Dots" will continue to operate, but this time in another Zynga-headed studio.
Related Article: Take-Two's Acquisition of Mobile Developer Zynga Might Be Leading to IP NFT Drops
Will Take-Two Explore NFTs?
Earlier this year, Tech Times reported that the Zynga acquisition could result in the arrival of NFTs on the platform. At that time, the New York-based corporation considered "NFTs for Games" as its benefit. By this, it could mean that it's making a huge move to explore Web3 and blockchain intervention.
With the popularity of mobile games on the rise, several developers are incorporating NFTs into the game to make them more interesting.
With Take-Two closely considering Web3 software on its future apps, there's a chance that we could finally see NFT drops in a myriad of its games, such as "NBA" and "WWE."
If the NFT-focused IPs are about to arrive, there might be an influx of players that will invest in the game even amid the ongoing economic downturn.
Read Also: Take-Two Interactive Seeking to Make 8 'New Iterations' of Classics Following Positive Earnings
This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by Joseph Henry
