Massively and Joystiq reported yesterday about rumors indicating that "NCsoft home offices may be considering closing the Austin studio". So far, these rumors have been refuted by a couple of NCsoft staff over at the PlanetTR forums [1][2].

Massively asserted that their attempted calls to NCsoft representatives were not answered, and that their "trustworthy third party" sources indicated several possible scenarios for Tabula Rasa and Dungeon Runners IPs:

A well-placed source with the company reported the studio's position to Joystiq, confirming similar information provided to Massively by a trustworthy third party. According to our sources, any or all of the following may be in the works:

* NCsoft Austin will be closed, with work on Tabula Rasa to be moved to the West coast. Dungeon Runners is apparently to be closed. Los Angeles is home to the development-in-the-dark Carbine Studios effort, while the San Francisco area is home to the City of Heroes development team. Seattle, of course, plays host to Arena.net and Joystiq reports that's where TR will be headed.
* This shakeup is only affecting Austin; the City of Heroes and Guild Wars teams are unaffected, as are the teams based out of the Korean offices.
* Future collaborations between NCsoft and the Garriott brothers will be very limited in scope, a sign of the frustrations between the Korean executives and the sibling-lead NCsoft North American office.
* Tabula Rasa may see closure by this time next year, if the team fails to turn the tide of subscribers and expectations.

Warcry will further investigate these claims and bring you the definite truth once more information will become available.