CCP has announced that World of Darkness, the MMO based in the Vampire: The Masquerade universe, has been cancelled.

The game’s cancellation will result in 56 layoffs at CCP’s Atlanta office, with a number of them being offered roles elswhere within the company.

“The decision to end the World of Darkness MMO project is one of the hardest I’ve ever had to make,” CCP CEO Hilmar Veigar Petursson said, in part. “I have always loved and valued the idea of a sandbox experience set in that universe, and over the years I’ve watched the team passionately strive to make that possible.”

“To our current and former employees and fans of World of Darkness, I am truly sorry that we could not deliver the experience that we aspired to make. We dreamed of a game that would transport you completely into the sweeping fantasy of World of Darkness, but had to admit that our efforts were falling regretfully short. One day I hope we will make it up to you.”

The remaining team at the CCP Atlanta office will shift their focus to developing games based in the EVE universe. This means the company as a whole will be working on games based on the same universe. Those games currently include EVE Online, Dust 514 and EVE Valkyrie.

CCP first revealed World of Darkness in 2006, and brought it into full production in 2009. Last December 15 employees were laid off at its Atlanta office, with the company calling it a “strategic adjustment”, and said it was still “committed to the franchise” as well as its “promise to make a compelling, rich and deep World of Darkness experience.”

(via Polygon)