Electronic Arts plans to cut its work force by 17% as it tries to align its business with a transforming video game industry. The company, which opened a testing center near LSU last year announced the layoffs of 1,500 people just hours after it said it is paying at least $275 million to buy Playfish Inc., a maker of social online games popular on Facebook, MySpace and the iPhone. The layoffs are expected to save about $100 million a year. A spokesman with EA says the Baton Rouge testing center could actually grow as the company looks at moving some operations to areas with lower costs of living. EA said last year it would hire 220 full and part time workers in Baton Rouge over the next two years.
Electronic Arts plans layoffs; B.R. not affected
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