Publishing giant Electronic Arts may be looking to open a new studio in Atlanta, Georgia that could employ up to 300 people.
In this economy, even big dogs like EA need to cut expenses. While one way to do that is by laying off over a thousand workers and axeing a dozen projects, a less worrisome way to go about the whole thing is to relocate to a significantly cheaper area. That may be why Redwood, CA-based Electronic Arts is reportedly considering Atlanta, Georgia as the location of a new studio, reports the Atlanta Business Journal.
The Journal also reported that EA was considering another site in Georgia – Savannah, to be precise. Clearly, the publisher got a taste for the city when distributing Valve’s Left 4 Dead 2 – maybe they want to say “Hi” to Coach and Ellis while they’re there.
In all seriousness, it does make sense. California is a notoriously expensive state to live in, while the cost of living tends to be a whole lot less here in the American Southeast – and EA is reportedly also looking at the equally-cheap Louisiana as well as the not-quite-so-cheap Florida. If EA did set up shop in Atlanta, they would be joining … well, the only other Atlanta-based studio I can think of is Hi-Rez, makers of Global Agenda, but I’m sure they aren’t the only ones.
While the Journal’s source claimed that “Discussions are really active” about the new EA development center, an EA representative told Joystiq that the company had “nothing more to add to this story.”
They must be waiting for the zombies to attack first, just so they can put their L4D2 skills to good use.
East Coast game industry, represent!
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