EA cancels Vancouver studio plan

Electronic Arts has cancelled its plans to establish a new development studio in Vancouver, Canada.

Pointing to the continuing global economic downturn and slow holiday sales across the US and Europe, the news of the cancelation comes just two days after EA lowered its expectations for the fiscal 2009, reports The Globe and Mail.

Speaking to The Globe and Mail, EA spokesman Colin Macrae “These are challenging times, they’re uncertain times for our industry and across the board. We continue to be firmly rooted in Vancouver.”

EA still has two studios operating in the Vancouver area, EA Canada and Black Box. Those two outfits have already suffered some losses as a result of the publisher’s planned global workforce lay offs.