Sony may be in the process of deconstructing Zipper Interactive, creators of the SOCOM: Navy Seals franchise. According to Kotaku, the studio has suffered a huge wave of layoffs and had an upcoming project cancelled, a one-two punch indicating that Sony may be closing the studio wholesale.
Once upon a time, SOCOM (and Zipper) were among Sony's most valuable first-party properties, but the series did not transition well from the PS2 to the PS3. SOCOM 4, was released last year during the PSN blackout, which would kill the sales of any shooter.
Outside of SOCOM, Zipper gambled big on its massive online-only shooter, MAG, which didn't produce the results they would have liked. Most recently, the studio contributed to the PS Vita launch library with Unit 13, a third-person shooter.
Without any word from Sony, we'll have to wait and see if these reports translate into Zipper's demise, reconstruction or anything at all.
[Via Kotaku]
