Project Offset team disbanded at Intel; Offset Software founders form new startup

You remember Project Offset, right -- that really purdy game that Offset Software was working on for PC and Xbox 360 before Intel bought it up and relegated it to a tech demo? Yeah, we'd pretty much forgotten about it too, until our compatriots at Big Download remembered the game and bugged Intel for an update. Unfortunately, it appears that Project Offset, as we once (barely) knew it, may be no more.

Intel issued the following statement in response to the query: "Intel purchased Offset Software to improve our game development knowledge-base and to further Intel's visual computing technology development expertise, helping the company offer robust products, support, and tools to customers. With the recent changes in our product roadmap, some of the resources and technologies from the acquisition are being re-applied to help support new graphics related projects. Additionally, other Offset Software team members have moved onto other external projects outside the company."

Sam McGrath, along with the other founders of Offset, have left Intel to form their own startup: Fractiv. McGrath confirmed as much to Big Download, adding that he "can't say any more than that at this stage," but he'll be spilling more "in the near future." So, has Project Offset been canceled? It seems likely given the situation, but we've asked Intel for a solid "yes" or "no" either way.