Sony lays off 33 at Zipper Interactive

Sony has laid off 33 employees at Zipper Interactive, according to reports coming from unnamed sources. Zipper is best known for developing Sony’s online shooters like M.A.G. and SOCOM.

According to Kotaku, a Sony spokesperson confirmed layoffs at Zipper, characterizing them as “normal business practice and a result of cutting back on production resources after the launch of two major franchises.”

It’s common for temporary contractors hired by a developer to be laid off after a game’s release, though 33 seems to be a lot more substantial than that kind of layoff. SOCOM 4: Navy SEALs did poorly in release, which could have led to a cost-cutting effort.