Playforge cuts staff and ceases all new projects

Californian casual game developer Playforge has laid off an unspecified number of staff and ceased development on all new titles.

Playforge president Jack Sorensen confirmed to Inside Mobile Apps that a number of staff have been laid off, after it the site received an anonymous tip that the developer had let go of its entire staff.

Sorensen added that studio will not close, and will continue to support its Zombie Farm and Tree World mobile franchises.

For the time being however, it is putting all new projects on hold, which does not suggest the studio is in good health.

Zombie Farm was the third highest-grossing app on Apple’s App Store in 2011, but if Playforge is now being forced to shrink, it will not be first mobile studio to rise and fall on the back of a few mobile hits.

Last week, mobile developer TinyCo announced that it has cut 27 staff, despite opening a new studio 12 months ago with ambitions to hire 60 new staff.

A former executive of LucasArts and THQ, Sorensen joined Playforge in May this year. At the time, Saban Brands president Elie Dekel talked up Sorensen’s experience in mobile as an asset that would take the studio to the next level.