Game news A month after the name change, Square Enix Montreal (Hitman, Lara Croft) is closing its doors and getting to work on an Xbox game
There have been many changes (often synonymous with acquisitions) in the video game industry in recent months. After Microsoft acquired Activision-Blizzard for $68.7 billion, Embracer Group, the giant that owns THQ Nordic, bought out Western studios from Square Enix. Today Square Enix Montreal – which just changed its name – is closing its doors.
Square Enix Montreal n’est plus!
For the modest sum of $300 million, Embracer Group is confiscating all of Square Enix’s western studios, namely Eidos Montreal and Sherbrooke (Deus Ex, Guardians of the Galaxy), Crystal Dynamics (Tomb Raider Marvel’s Avengers) and Square Enix Montreal, author of several series of mobile games such as Hitman GO and Lara Croft GO. Today, of course, we are concerned with this last studio, because this having changed its name to Onoma just a month ago, it has just closed its doors…
In fact, the bad news was announced just minutes ago by Phil Rogers, director of CDE Entertainment, one of the Embracer Group companies:
We see growth opportunities centered on our world-class franchises and our AAA games. Closing QA and our Onoma studio is a difficult decision that we made with great care and consideration. We sincerely thank all team members for their contributions over the years and hope to find suitable employment for as many as possible. Phil Rogers, director of CDE Entertainment
If the closure seems to sideline a total of 200 employees, we learn that many of them will find work quickly,
NEWS: Embracer has shut down Onoma, formerly Square Enix Montreal, which announced its new name just 3 weeks ago. Likewise:
– Some Onoma employees will transfer to Eidos Montreal
– Eidos canceled an unannounced game
– Eidos works with Xbox on games like Fable
Scoop: https://t.co/4WaL3rV4a1— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) November 1, 2022
Embracer shut down Onoma, formerly Square Enix Montreal, which announced its new name just three weeks ago. Likewise :
- Some Onoma employees will transfer to Eidos Montreal
- Eidos has canceled an unannounced game
- Eidos works with Xbox on games like Fable
Also Eidos affected?
That’s not the only excitement on the part of Square Enix’s former Western development studios, as we’re finding out at the same time This reorganization also takes the opportunity to cancel a game of Eidos on the fly.
Don’t worry, however, since it’s an unannounced game that, according to various sources shared by journalist Jason Schreier, has been heavily inspired by the saga Stranger Things, the Duffer brothers’ series broadcast on Netflix.
Finally, the Bloomber journalist adds that in addition to Deus Ex, the“Eidos Montreal would also be working on a brand new license. Unfortunately, the latter has not yet been revealed. So he will have to be patient.