Further Sony Online Entertainment layoffs

Californian developer Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) has made 35 workers redundant, the group has confirmed.

The news come one year after the firm laid off 41 staff, in a move to improve the group’s “operational efficiency and reduce costs”.

SOE has told news site Joystiq that the new layoffs represent “just over 4 per cent” of its full-time workforce.

The group is responsible for popular MMOs such as Free Realms and Everquest.

SOE communications boss Scott Gulbransen said the cuts were again a necessity to "better align the company’s resources and improve operational efficiency.”

Last year, following a string staff departures, SOE opened up usability testing services to external studios.

But in the same year three key developers left Sony Online Entertainment’s Seattle studio to form a new company, Detonator Games.

2009 also saw senior developer Scott Hartsman break away from the company to join Trion.