Frontier Developments lays off staff as it launches new franchise

According to an investor update, Elite: Dangerous developer Frontier Developments has laid off at least fifteen people as it refocuses development operations from its satellite studio in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada to its headquarters in Cambridge.

"With its business emphasis now on two major self-published franchises, Elite: Dangerous and Coaster Park Tycoon, Frontier is re-focusing its development activities in Cambridge where the expertise in these franchises lies," reads an excerpt of the update, which also confirms that Frontier is developing a new self-published game: Coaster Park Tycoon.

It's yet unclear what will happen to the Halifax studio. Opened in 2012 with aid from local business development agency Nova Scotia Business, Inc. with a mission to collaborate with the home office on "key games" and "key technologies", according to CEO David Braben, it was Frontier's first expansion beyond the borders of the United Kingdom.

While the studio's website is currently advertising open positions in Halifax, an anonymous source told Gamasutra that the studio is being closed down. We've contacted Frontier for further comment.