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[Updated] PlayWatch: EA Announces SimCity Social And Two Other Playfish Titles Ending
[Update #2] EA has told Game Informer that they will not be commenting on specific teams today. This echoes the statement we received about EA Montreal last week.
[Update #1] EA doesn't seem to have any comment on Playfish. According to a statement received by Joystiq, the publisher has nothing to add.
[Original Story]
EA announced this morning that three of its Facebook titles will be coming to an end on June 14. The three games in question are The Sims Social, SimCity Social, and Pet Society. All three were developed by Playfish, which EA acquired in November 2009 for $275 million cash plus another $25 million in equity.
Particularly surprising is the elimination of SimCity Social, which was only first confirmed at E3 2012. From announcement to closure, the title will have lived only a year before fading from Facebook. This news comes just days after EA laid off an undisclosed (though rumored to be significant) number of staff at its Montreal mobile division.
We have reached out to EA for comment on the possible implications for Playfish and for clarification on the reasons for closing three titles from a single studio at once.
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