Layoffs as Jagex shuts down year-old MMOG

An unspecified number of staff have been laid off at Runescapedeveloper Jagex after the Cambridge studio closed down its8Realms MMOG barely a year after it entered beta. One source claimed the game only had drawn one tenth of the users it needed to turn a profit.
According to Develop, while some staff have lost their jobs entirely, some will be found new roles within the company, which earlier this month revealed an ambitious expansion for Runescape, The Evolution Of Combat.
COO Daniel Clough admitted that 8Realms, which entered beta last May, simply wasn't popular enough, saying: "Jagex has always been committed to creating fun and compelling games.
"During the 8Realms beta it has become clear that the game doesn't meet our high expectations for success and we are therefore channelling our focus on other exciting opportunities in the pipeline."

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