Square Enix allegedly axing Japanese staff

In what is fast appearing as the game industry’s largest ever mass-migration from East to West, mega-publisher Square Enix is rumoured to be reducing as many as 300 staff from its native base in Japan.

The rumours, first reported by Kotaku, come as Square Enix continues to pour its sizable resources into European and American game companies.

Square Enix’s recent string of business deals resemble a company now fully rooted in Western game culture.

The firm will be the Japanese publisher of the biggest game of the year – Modern Warfare 2, developed by Californian studio Infinity Ward.

Bigger still, the recent acquisition of once-British publisher Eidos has opened the firm’s channels across Europe and North America.

Square Enix now has serious development businesses in Denmark, Sweden, Hungary, Germany, Montreal, California and Britain.

But now, less so in Japan, if the rumours turn out to be accurate.

It is unclear where such layoffs have been made, with the Kotaku report citing “Square Enix Japan” as well as staff from developer subsidiary Taito.

Develop has contacted the involved parties on the matter.