Last week, rumors surfaced that Nintendo might be moving some contingent of its American forces to either San Francisco or New York City. Sources close to Nintendo have hinted to IGN that such a move may very well occur, and that it may happen in the near future.

Although a massive relocation of NOA's entire workforce -- including localization, testing, customer service, human resources, and more -- seems like an impossible undertaking, our sources allege that the majority of this move's burden will rest on NOA's sales and marketing departments. According to insiders, certain NOA staff members were given an ultimatum last Thursday asking them to choose between the move and a severance package come June.

Nintendo of America's Redmond, Washington office has been the North American home of the Japanese publishing giant since 1982 when the company consolidated its facilities. NOA seems to be very firmly rooted in the Seattle area, so a full-scale move seems highly unlikely. Several key NOA executives have lived in Seattle for quite some time and might be unwilling to relocate to San Francisco or New York.

Just how many employees this potential move could affect is still up in the air. We contacted Nintendo of America, but no official statement was available in time for publication. As soon as we can shed some more light on this rumor, we will.