44 Gameplay staff face the axe
Uncertainty could be over soon
Posted in Games Industry, 14th May 2001 15:32 GMT
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Almost 50 staff have been told their jobs are under threat amid speculation that troubled dotcom, Gameplay, is due to make an announcement about its future.
A company meeting had been scheduled to take place this morning but has been postponed until later this afternoon.
During the day 44 people have been told that their jobs are at risk. It is understood that those who've received such notices in the past have never returned to work at Gameplay.
According to insiders, 27 of those work in Gameplay's technical and marketing departments.
One insider said it was "chaos" at Gameplay's offices in London.
Another said: "People are being pulled into offices all day and told they are getting the boot.
Online gaming is the bit being hit most."
Another report claimed that "editorial has been blitzed".
Last month the company announced a strategic review of the business and said that it had received interest in all or part of the operation.
The Register understands that two senior staff from within the company have had their offer to buy Gameplay's boxed games operation accepted.
The future of the rest of the company - which includes is online gaming division - is not clear.
Gameplay boss, Mark Bernstein, declined to comment on today's events.
He also declined to comment on the progress of negotiations concerning the possible sale of some, or all, of the company. ®
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