MacLean, Blakely leave 38 Studios

(Updated, 6:30 p.m.)

PROVIDENCE – Gov. Lincoln D. Chafee on Wednesday said the apparent departure of two of 38 Studios’ top executives – CEO Jen MacLean and Senior Vice President of Product Development John Blakely – “is not good news” for the struggling video game company.

Chafee told reporters at a Statehouse briefing workers had been leaving 38 Studios in tears and with boxes. “It is not a good sign,” he said. Chafee believes there have been layoffs at the company but offered no further details at the briefing.

Both MacLean and Blakely have revised their LinkedIn profiles to show they’ve left the company, according to WPRI-TV CBS 12.

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MacLean, who has been on maternity leave, removed the title of CEO from her professional profile on Wednesday, listing her departure from 38 Studios as March.

Blakely, whose profile was updated to show he left the company earlier this month, was still with 38 Studios as recently as Monday when he joined former Red Sox pitcher and 38 Studios’ founder Curt Schilling at a R.I. Economic Development Corporation board meeting.

Blakely joined the 38 Studios team in March.

On Monday, Chafee announced layoffs by the gaming company, which was lured to Providence with a state $75 million loan guarantee and reportedly missed payroll last week.

38 Studios managed to make an overdue $1.125 million payment to the state on Friday. The $1.125 million guarantee fee, which is 1.5 percent of the outstanding loan amount, was due May 1.

Several 38 Studios employees attended a Providence recruiting event by video game-creator Turbine Inc., according to WPRI.

More than 300 local applicants attended Tuesday’s recruiting event at the Westminster hotel, vying for 50 jobs with the Needham, Mass.-based company.

None of the 38 Studios employees would offer insight into the teetering financial status of former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling’s company.

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