While called a reduction in force for the developer, the truth is (according to Pop Cap) that the cuts could have been much worse if PopCap didn’t have EA behind them. The majority of the cuts came from the PopCap headquarters in Seattle, but additional cuts could come to the PopCap facility in Dublin, Ireland as it enters exploratory consultation to evaluate the situation in Dublin.
While many have suggested that the cuts were driven by EA, this does not seem to be the case according to those we talked to. The decision was PopCap’s, and was driven by trying to improve profitability and to make sure that they have the money to invest in new IP.
Some of the employees will have the chance to apply for other jobs within EA, while others will be retained and reassigned to other jobs within EA. No exact numbers were given on how many would actually be moving to EA’s other studios.