Realtime Worlds suffers layoffs and downscaling of second, unannounced project
14
Only one week out from the game's official release, APB development house Realtime Worlds confirmed today (via Develop) that "a small number of staff will be made redundant, and a second unnamed project will be downscaled." Oddly enough, the studio also announced that it's still hiring. Rather than commenting on specifics of the layoffs, Realtime CEO Gary Dale noted: "We now have to focus our efforts and resources on running APB as a 24 / 7 online live operations, creating new content and services for the future and ensuring the best possible experience for players."
Dale also assured that the restructuring doesn't have to do with the reception of the new MMO at retail, saying, "APB experienced a very smooth launch for an online dedicated game along with a great reception from consumers and we're immensely proud of the game the team has produced." We've followed up with RTW for more specifics, and we'd like to offer our consolences to anyone at the studio that lost their job.
Dale also assured that the restructuring doesn't have to do with the reception of the new MMO at retail, saying, "APB experienced a very smooth launch for an online dedicated game along with a great reception from consumers and we're immensely proud of the game the team has produced." We've followed up with RTW for more specifics, and we'd like to offer our consolences to anyone at the studio that lost their job.
Reader Comments (14)
Posted: Jul 7th 2010 4:45PM SpishackCola said
Heh, sounds like Blizzard after WoW originally dropped. Needed to make sure WoW kept up its steam, so the other projects suffered for a bit.
Posted: Jul 7th 2010 5:28PM R Planteer said
@SpishackCola
For a bit?
WoW and its expansions are the only games Blizzard has released for six years.
Its a bit more than a bit.
Reply
For a bit?
WoW and its expansions are the only games Blizzard has released for six years.
Its a bit more than a bit.
Posted: Jul 8th 2010 5:28AM DarkGrimoire said
@SpishackCola
Apparently, a little birdie told me that the second, unannounced project isnt even a game. It sounded way to ambitious when I heard bout it. No wonder they r downscaling it. They probably spent a lot of funding they got for APB in doin research for the second project.. :D
Reply
Apparently, a little birdie told me that the second, unannounced project isnt even a game. It sounded way to ambitious when I heard bout it. No wonder they r downscaling it. They probably spent a lot of funding they got for APB in doin research for the second project.. :D
Posted: Jul 7th 2010 4:47PM Cleric said
Layoffs? I figure if they got just one person to buy the game, pay the monthly fee, AND use the cash shop they could keep that machine running for years!
Posted: Jul 7th 2010 4:50PM ItsameMatt03 said
RTW: Put APB on the 360, and you'll get a consistent flow of monthly payments from me for a long time to help keep your company going.
Posted: Jul 7th 2010 4:57PM carg0 said
the next news we hear outta Realtime Worlds will be that they've been shuttered, im afraid.
Posted: Jul 7th 2010 5:06PM pjskiboy said
Wasn't this the team that originally made the first Crackdown?
Posted: Jul 7th 2010 5:12PM Cody H said
It is too bad Realtime Worlds focused all their efforts on a half-baked MMO instead of working on the next Crackdown. Now they are having financial woes and we are stuck with a Crackdown sequel whose only differentiating feature from the original is the "2" that was slapped on it.
Posted: Jul 7th 2010 10:43PM Rabidkeebler said
@Cody H
They wanted to, but Microsoft didn't green light Crackdown 2 until they were deep into APB.
Reply
They wanted to, but Microsoft didn't green light Crackdown 2 until they were deep into APB.
Posted: Jul 7th 2010 5:24PM Deschain said
Great news.
APB needs the support.
APB needs the support.
Posted: Jul 7th 2010 7:35PM delicatessen lama said
Ruffian games management team just started rubbing their hands together...
Posted: Jul 8th 2010 6:15AM Rylan said
It's pretty simple really. They've spent a huge amount of money on APB and it has to deliver financially for them to make the next game.
Most studios are working on one or two games at a time and the money for their next game depends on the success of the current one. Very very few companies can survive a single flopped game.
And make no mistake. APB is a flop. When you're getting an average review of 55% and even the high scoring reviews admit that the game doesn't have enough diversity and content to keep players subscribing for more than a few months people are turned away. They aren't getting anywhere near the numbers of players they hoped for and it will be dead within a year, perhaps RTW with them.
As for my personal opinion. APB deserves to be a flop. RTW took an idea so amazing that it would be difficult to make it boring and shallow. Then they did exactly that.
Most studios are working on one or two games at a time and the money for their next game depends on the success of the current one. Very very few companies can survive a single flopped game.
And make no mistake. APB is a flop. When you're getting an average review of 55% and even the high scoring reviews admit that the game doesn't have enough diversity and content to keep players subscribing for more than a few months people are turned away. They aren't getting anywhere near the numbers of players they hoped for and it will be dead within a year, perhaps RTW with them.
As for my personal opinion. APB deserves to be a flop. RTW took an idea so amazing that it would be difficult to make it boring and shallow. Then they did exactly that.
Featured Stories
Super Joystiq Podcast 004: 38 Studios meltdown, Gravity Rush, Civilization 5: Gods & Kings, Dragon's Dogma
Posted on May 25th 2012 3:30PM




