SOCOM developer Zipper Interactive, based in Redmond, Washington, has been hit with about 30 layoffs. Sony has apparently decided to continue with its aggressive workforce reductions, and that has pretty much hit all of the Sony studios by now.

While sources confirm that long-time Zipper Interactive employee Travis Steiner left to start his own company, we hear that other employees may also follow. The remaining employees will continue to work on the support for the recently released titles and work on the development of new titles.

While Sony is spinning this as a standard reduction in staff, whispers we hear suggest that sales of SOCOM 4 have not been what Sony would have liked, and this has led to the decision to trim staff. Some blame the poor sales of SOCOM 4 on Sony’s decision not to bundle the Sharpshooter access device for PlayStation Move with the game itself. According to some we have spoken with, making it two separate purchases hurt sales in a big way.