Midway Games has closed its corporate headquarters in Chicago, terminating the position of the final 60 employees of that office, including recently installed CEO Matt Booty. These cuts represent approximately 20% of Midway's global workforce. This follows the closing of the publisher's UK studio earlier this week, and may finally spell the end for the once great game publisher.

The Chicago Tribune is reporting that 100 employees from the Chicago offices have been offered new jobs with Warner Bros. Interactive. You'll remember that just last month Warner Bros. paid $33 million for all outstanding Midway assets, including the Chicago office and the Mortal Kombat franchise. However none of the people that have been offered positions with Warner Bros. are from the corporate headquaters, so it looks like Booty is still out of work.

While it's always sad to have to write these kinds of stories, it isn't too shocking that Warner Bros. didn't want to hold onto Midway's corporate staff. Since the company was basically run into the ground by these executives, it wouldn't really make a whole lot of sense to put them back into positions of authority. It is nice to know that the new parent company is making some room for other kinds of employees. While it's clear the executives dropped a few balls at Midway, there's no reason why the average designer, developer, or administrative staff should have to be out of a job.

[Via Gamesindustry.biz]