Realtime Worlds Restructures Following APB Release

All Points Bulletin and Crackdown developer Realtime Worlds said Wednesday it would lay off a "small number" of workers as the company shifts its focus to support the launch of the MMO APB. APB, published under EA Partners, is just the second title from the Dundee, Scotland-based company, whose open-world game Crackdown attracted a cult following when it launched on Xbox 360 in 2007. "Overall staffing levels for APB will increase, with a small number of redundancies expected as the game’s development cycle changes and a second development project is downscaled to provide 100 percent support on APB," the company said in a statement. The company's website shows it is hiring for 12 positions, including 11 UK-based jobs and one U.S. position. Realtime Worlds says it employs 300 staff across its locations in Scotland and Boulder, CO, where the APB support team resides. Dave Jones, creator of the Grand Theft Auto franchise and Lemmings, founded the studio in 2002. APB is a third-person massively multiplayer online action game that pits Criminals against Enforcers. The game's main draw is a heavy emphasis on user-generated content, ranging from custom tattoos to a custom death tune that plays in the speakers of a given player's victims. While APB received lukewarm reviews when it launched in North America and Europe in recent weeks, CEO Gary Dale said, "APB experienced a very smooth launch for an online dedicated game along with a great reception from consumers and we’re immensely proud of the game the team has produced." He added, "We now have to focus our efforts and resources on running APB as a 24/7 online live operation, creating new content and services for the future and ensuring the best possible experience for the players."