PSP's Earthworm Jim gets the bird, goes 'on hold'
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Jun 18th 2007 at 5:54PM }
Earthworm Jim for PSP has been put "on hold" as Atari focuses on other projects. Sister site PSPFanboy reveals that the game they thought was coming along fine with "sharp graphics, and awesome 2D gameplay potential" is no longer in the works, but an Atari spokesperson says it "may be revisited in the future."Optimistically, there's still 60 reasons to own a PSP. Maybe some information will shake out at Min-E3 over why Earthworm Jim got the bird. Atari still has other titles coming out for the PSP, but a lot of their energy (and money) is currently going into upcoming potential hits like the return of Alone in the Dark.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Chris @ Jun 18th 2007 6:02PM
This is one of those games where if the original team who made the first two isn't involved, no sequel should be made.
Thats what I don't understand about the games industry. When something is a huge success they take it out of the hands of the people who made it successful and give it to someone else and ruin it (Earthworm Jim 3D I'm looking at you)
The thing is, the original creators WANT to make another game. It's not like they are uninterested in the project.
Let THEM make a new EJ game, and let Ron gilbert make the 5th Monkey Island game while you are at it.
hvnlysoldr @ Jun 18th 2007 6:10PM
It's like when each of the main characters of Friends getting paid a $1MILLION PER EPISODE! It doesn't matter how popular the show is (it's out of its prime) if it's starting to cost too much to make. Therefore go with re-runs and DVD re-releases. And a spin-off with few or no characters from the original and none of the writers or producers or directors.
BPM @ Jun 18th 2007 6:22PM
Chris, EWJ for PSP was being developed by Shiny. But, Atari sold off Shiny to Foundation 9. I'm guessing Atari kept the rights to the PSP project, though, given its "on hold" status.
losttoys @ Jun 18th 2007 6:26PM
dagnamit. This was one of the games I was really looking forward to as a release on the PSP.
Borat @ Jun 18th 2007 6:38PM
Do people even care about EWJ as a franchise anymore?
rockintom @ Jun 18th 2007 7:11PM
I don't see why anyone *ever* cared about Earthworm Jim. They were terrible games.
jay @ Jun 18th 2007 8:24PM
They were terrible. I still have fond memories mostly due to the cartoon. I tried revisiting the game on GBA but couldn't find the gameplay.
jman @ Jun 18th 2007 11:13PM
@ Jay....Have u ever played the ones on super nintendo??? Cuz those were the good ones...but then again it has been a while since i have picked it up...
jman @ Jun 18th 2007 11:15PM
@ jay...have u ever played the ones on snes?? Cuz i rember those bien quite good..
jman @ Jun 18th 2007 11:16PM
Oops...didnt think the 1st one went through..
Adv2k1 @ Jun 19th 2007 12:57AM
how much you wanna bet they thought about it and figured it would make more money if they just put both games on virtual console instead.
bm @ Jun 19th 2007 8:17AM
I'm glad they canceled it.
Now they can re-try. Because why for fucks sake did they go with fugly-ass polygons?
The original games were beautiful works of detailed 2D art. The flat, bland, degraded graphics of this 3D polygon "remake" look so fucking ugly it nearly makes me physically nauseous. Looks more like a "de-make".
There is so much potential for a great handdrawn game on modern day handhelds. 3D fucking sucks, and I think someone at Atari agrees with me. Do it properly next time.