Based on one Bloomberg report, video game publisher Embracer closed Onoma, the studio formerly known as Square Enix Montreal, just a few months after its acquisition. Some of the staff will be transferred to Eidos Montreal, another studio owned by Embracer. This news comes just a few weeks after Onoma going through a rebranding process where it uses the new name.
Onoma is best known for his work on the Go series, a turn-based spin-off of popular Eidos Interactive titles designed for mobile devices. This includes Hitman Go, Lara Croft Go, and Deus Ex Go. Their most recent work is Tomb Raider Reloaded, coming to mobile devices earlier this year and their future plans relating to a title based on Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Earlier this year, Onoma was just one part of Embracer’s much larger series of deals, which included Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Montreal. In August, Embracer acquired Limited Run Games, Tripwire Interactive, Tuxedo Labs, the intellectual property rights to The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, and some other studios.
The Bloomberg the report also says that the closures are part of a cost-cutting initiative and that Eidos Montreal will also have miniaturization and downsizing projects. Some of these resources will be redirected to support the development of a game in the Fable series, led by Playground Games.
[Source: Bloomberg]
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