Word of the Radical layoffs, which make up almost half of the Prototype-developing studio, arrived via The Vancouver Sun and was confirmed by the studio. Gamasutra cites numerous independent sources for the departures from The Bourne Conspiracy developer High Moon, which represent less than half of the company.

"Activision Blizzard is committed to making the best games possible and has elected at this time to reduce the number of titles that Radical is developing from four games to two," commented Radical human resources VP Leah Rubin. "Therefore, we will be proportionately reducing the size of our studio."

Currently at work on the open-world action game Prototype and Crash Bandicoot: Mind Over Mutant--neither of which were cancelled--Radical is also known for the licensed open-world efforts Scarface: The World is Yours and The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction. Of the studio's cancelled games, one was thought to be a Scarface sequel.

High Moon, meanwhile, recently completed work on the espionage action title on The Bourne Conspiracy. Its current project is unknown, though it was believed to be working on a Bourne sequel before Activision pulled the plug.

Both former subsidiaries of Vivendi, High Moon and Radical were absorbed into Activision Blizzard when the two companies merged earlier this year.