THQ Trims The Fat News

Ahead of releasing its latest quarterly financial results tomorrow, THQ has confirmed the closure of five of its internal studios, along with some staff cuts at two others.

Paradigm Entertainment, Mass Media, Helixe, Locomotive Games, and Sandblast Games have all shut their doors for the final time.  Two other studios, Rainbow Studios and Juice Games, have had their workforce cut by an unreleased figure.  Rainbow Studios' latest title, Deadly Creatures, is scheduled to launch across North America next month, whilst a European version is due in February.

In a statement to Gamespot, one THQ representative commented: "It's just constantly trying to react dynamically to the market...whether it's because of things happening to our industry or the economic environment as a whole. It's making sure that we're set up over the next three to five years to be profitable and successful."