38 Studios employees flock to job fair

PROVIDENCE, RI (WPRI) - Several applicants who said they were employed by 38 Studios attended a Providence recruiting event held by Turbine, Inc, said to be the largest creator and operator of video games in New England.

None of them would offer insight into what is going on inside Curt Schilling's company headqurters at 1 Empire Plaza. The company reportedly laid off an unknown number of employees and missed payroll last week.

One man who emerged from the recruiting event at Hotel Providence on Westminster Street said he still works at 38 Studios but he did not answer questions about payroll or layoffs.

"I don't know any more than you guys do about that," the 38 Studios employee said without giving his name.

Another man who also said he is still employed by Schilling's company was even more brief.

"I can't talk," he said.

Inside the hotel, more than 300 applicants were applying for 50 jobs with Turbine. The Needham, Massachusetts company seems to be what Schilling's company wants to be.

Turbine employs 420 right now. 38 Studios currently employs 251 full time but is committed to employing 450 by November of 2013.

And while Schilling is reportedly looking for private capital to stabilize 38 Studios, a spokesman for Turbine tells us his company has survived since 1994 and was 'venture backed', most recently securing $40 million in capital from private investors in 2008.

"There are a lot of people out there looking to invest in good ideas," Adam Mersky, Turbine's digital communications director said. "You have to work very hard at it. It's not easy but if you have a good plan, there's money out there."

Mersky would not say whether he knows how many were laid off by 38 Studios but he said the event was held in Providence because his company knew 38 Studios was facing some issues. He did not identify how many of the applicants were from 38 Studios.