Layoffs hit Sega of America

Sega of America laid off an unspecified number of employees this week, part of a restructuring that a spokesperson said was in reaction to the "ever-changing environment" of the gaming industry.

Venture Beat first reported on the cuts at Sega's U.S. branch, writing that the number of employees affected was small.

"As the gaming industry continues to evolve, companies must adapt and adjust in order to compete and succeed in an ever-changing environment," reads a statement forwarded to Polygon by a Sega spokesperson. "As a result of this, Sega of America has recently undergone a restructure that will enable the company to focus efficiently on developing new and existing content across digital platforms as well as continuing to focus on key brands for packaged goods."

A Sega rep did not respond to requests for further details on those layoffs.

Last year, parent company Sega Sammy said it would close offices in North America and Europe and reduce the number of games Sega develops, focusing on a few key brands. Those include the Total War, Sonic the Hedgehog, Football Manager and Aliens franchises. Sega purchased Company of Heroes developer Relic Entertainment earlier this year to bolster its PC game development capabilities.

Sega Sammy agreed to purchase Atlus parent company Index last month, adding Atlus' Megami Tensei, Persona and Etrian Odyssey properties to its portfolio.