Bodycount developer Codemasters Guildford to close

Codemasters has announced it's "proposing to retire" its Guildford studio.

The developer recently released shooter Bodycount, as well as working on the Operation Flashpoint series. Bodycount did really badly at reviews, getting as low as 51 from MetaCritic, and only just making it into the UK top 40 in its first week on sale.

The consultation period began today for up to 30 days, with 66 staff being affected. Once the 30 days are finished, the studio will formally close.

Codemasters is instead opting to focus its attention on its racing brands, like DiRT, Formula One and Grid in its studios at Warwickshire and Birmingham, with the Birmingham studio expanding to include a second team for a brand new racing IP.

"As Codemasters looks to take greater leadership in the racing category, the company is proposing a studio structure that adds resource and strengthens our best-in-class racing teams. The output from the studios on the Warwickshire campus and in Birmingham is on the increase with multiple continuing," the company said in a statement to GI.Biz.

"Both the Warwickshire and Birmingham studios have won BAFTAs for their critically acclaimed, multi-million selling titles and the company is adding resource to ensure they constantly over achieve in this competitive sector."

The company has encouraged those affected from the Guildford layoffs to apply for posts in Warwickshire and Birmingham.

"Codemasters envisages that it will continue to have a number of open positions within the Racing and Online studio teams at Codemasters' campus in Warwickshire working on Dirt, Grid, F1 Online and with the F1 team in Birmingham, which is being expanded to house a full second team working on a new racing IP."