Activision cutting back licensed titles, lays off about 30

Activision will launch fewer games based on external licenses this year, and it has laid off about 30 employees to make up the difference. The publisher of Skylanders and Call of Duty released a statement to Kotaku which said the cuts were part of regular cost-alignment measures.

"Like any successful business, Activision Publishing consistently works to align its costs with its revenues--this is an ongoing process. In 2013, we expect to release fewer games based on license properties and as a result are realigning our structure to better reflect the market opportunities and our slate. Approximately, 30 full-time employees have been impacted globally, which represents approximately one half of one percent of Activision Blizzard's employee population. We are offering those employees who are impacted outplacement counseling services."

Not only Activision's smaller studios were affected, as Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 developer Treyarch lost a few employees. Activision said the culling was necessary to bring the studio in line with needs for continued DLC production, and will not affect the game.

Though Activision has strong franchises of its own, the publisher cranks out quite a few licensed games from the Cabela's hunting series to The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It didn't specify which of its licensed properties will be headed out to pasture this year.