Rumor: Factor 5 shuts down

by Ludwig Kietzmann on Dec 22nd 2008 3:00PM

What's Santa putting in developer stockings this year? Unemployment, apparently. Following earlier rumors of a 50-percent cut in staff at Factor 5, internet murmuring now suggests that the Lair and Rogue Squadron developer has closed its doors completely. According to an alleged forum post by IGN's Matt Casamassina, which in turn cites an "inside source," today marked the end of Factor 5's operations. It seems the infamous Brash bailout had more severe repercussions than we previously suspected.

Joystiq has contacted relevant parties in order to obtain more concrete information -- as well as more concrete. With all these depressing stories, we're going to need a dam to hold all these tears.

[Via NeoGAF]

Source

Tags: Factor-5, Lair, Layoffs, PS3, Rogue-Squadron, Rumor, Wii

Reader Comments (59)

Naughty Dog! Oh wait, they made good games.

i've enjoyed their games in the past and i'm one of the few that had fun with lair. sad news. i guess i'm really not getting my dragon trophies.

I guess that's what happens when you refuse to make Rogue Squardron 4.

Heck I'd have loved an HD version of the second game ported to the 360 even.

well, thats really kinda sad. I grew up with Turrican and Katakis. Chris Hülsbecks soundtracks still ringing in my ears ...

So, what you're trying to tell me that "IF" F5 developed another "Rouge" for the wii instead of lair for the ps3, they would still be closing doors?? Hard to believe..

Rogue Squadron III sales weren't as high as its predecessors' due to some questionable design choices (being on foot in some levels). Two, the vast majority of the Wii's usebase is made up of casual gamers. They're far more interested in playing 15 minute bouts of Wii Sports than they are playing a game like No More Heroes, Zak and Wiki, or even Super Mario Galaxy (which is, in and of itself, an incredibly casual platformer). If Factor 5 hadn't been so stubborn with its decision to use only sixaxis motion controls at launch (I own the game and the motion controls are absolutely horrid) and if they hadn't waited several months to patch the game to include analog controls (which are much better), they'd still be open. Not every failure can be blamed on the PS3 or its userbase, pal.

They made one good (assuming you're into Star Wars) game on the N64, cloned it for the Gamecube, then made a crappier sequel and we know how Lair went.

I don't think they'll be missed all that much as people think.