Decatur-based CCP Games announced layoffs in a press release today (see below).  CCP Games moved to downtown Decatur from Stone Mountain back in 2011.

CCP Games today announced that they have cancelled the World of Darkness massively multiplayer online (MMO) game project in development in their Atlanta, GA studio.

As a result of the change, 56 employees of the Atlanta studio have lost their jobs.  Some team members have been offered roles on other projects inside the company, and CCP has provided severance packages and job placement assistance for those affected.

The remaining team in Atlanta will focus on games in the EVE Universe, which will mark the first time since 2006 that the entirety of CCP will be working on a single universe.

CCP CEO Hilmar Veigar Pétursson:

The decision to end the World of Darkness MMO project is one of the hardest I’ve ever had to make. I have always loved and valued the idea of a sandbox experience set in that universe, and over the years I’ve watched the team passionately strive to make that possible.

I would like to give special thanks to everyone who worked so hard to make the World of Darkness MMO a reality, especially the team members affected by this decision.  Their considerable contribution to CCP will not be forgotten, and we wish them well.

To our current and former employees and fans of World of Darkness, I am truly sorry that we could not deliver the experience that we aspired to make.  We dreamed of a game that would transport you completely into the sweeping fantasy of World of Darkness, but had to admit that our efforts were falling regretfully short.  One day I hope we will make it up to you.

Although this was a tough decision that affects our friends and family, uniting the company behind the EVE Universe will put us in a stronger position moving forward, and we are more committed than ever to solidify EVE as the biggest gaming universe in the world.

A CCP employee writes in…

Sad news from CCP Games last week. Though they are still committed to moving their North American offices to Decatur, it will be done with significantly fewer employees. On Wednesday [of last week], about 50% of the Georgia office, currently located in Stone Mountain, were given their walking papers. http://www.layoffwatch.com/2011/10/gaming-company-lets-go-20-of-staff/

There are a slew of talented folks suddenly thrust onto the job market – if any DM readers need the services of Web guys, programmers, artists, designers, content folks, and/or some amazing kitchen staff, let me know and I’ll be delighted to arrange contact.

A bit more info from the Layoffwatch article…

Hilmar Petursson, the CEO of CCP Games told a reporter for Gamasutra earlier this week over the phone that the game creation [of World of Darkness] was progressing more slowly than the company had anticipated. This is one of the reasons for the reduction in staff. Since the game cannot turn a profit until it is completed the extra staff is only a drain on current company resources. The majority of the layoffs will be made in the Atlanta office, which is currently responsible for the making of the World of Darkness game. The Shanghai office which is currently make the Dust 514 game for Play Station 3 will have fewer layoffs.

In the same phone interview he expressed a profound sorrow over the layoffs and the effect that they would have on their employees. He has this to say about it, “This is a major thing, and it’s something which it is my responsibility to avoid.”

I’m still digesting the many pieces and aspects of the 2010 Decatur Strategic Plan.  Appendix B: Market and Fiscal Feasibility Analysis is especially interesting, since we “everyday residents” all too often talk about what we want and not frequently enough of the realities on the ground that determine our pipe dreams’ feasibility.

But for now, here’s an interesting chart from that appendix.  If you’ve always known that DeKalb County was the city’s largest employer, but didn’t know what other orgs would make up a top ten list, do I have the chart for you!

If the city’s newest large employer – CCP Games – achieves its goal of 300 employees by 2013, it looks like it will eventually climb into the 5th spot on this list.  However, much of the excitement and hyperactivity surrounding CCP wasn’t just about its size, but also the fact that it brought a new industry (video game development) into the city limits, helping diversify the large business community, which is currently very heavily dependent on public administration and legal services.  (Not surprisingly, I stole that point from the aforementioned feasibility analysis.)

11Alive’s Doug Richards contacted me yesterday and inquired about Decatur’s recent accolade of being deemed “Georgia’s Most Walkable City” by Walkscore.com.  I rattled off a couple potential contacts and suggested that he also might want to include a “CCP Games Moving to Decatur” angle to make the story a bit more topical.  Above is the result. (Also, if you’ve been wondering about CCP Games current location, watch the video.)

Here’s a bit more information on CCP Games’ pending move to Decatur from a press release I just received from Oakhurst Realty’s Fisher Paty, who along with Bart Lester, helped facilitate the deal.

CCP Games will be occupying three full contiguous floors in the building and the space is currently undergoing an extensive renovation. Accommodating CCP Games required the relocation and cooperation of seven existing tenants in the building, including Pattillo Construction Company, who constructed the building in 1962, and McCurdy & Candler, an original tenant to the building. As part of the agreement, the landlord will make improvements to the lobby of the building as well as the outside courtyard area.