Joystiq

60 GAME Australia stores to close

Mike Suszek — Sat, 26 May 2012 15:00:00 EST

GAME Australia administrators announced plans to close 60 retail stores at the cost of 264 jobs, GamesIndustry International reported Friday. An additional 17 head office positions will be terminated at the company.

In a media release, Kate Warwick of PricewaterhouseCoopers said, "this is a difficult time for employees and closing the stores was not a decision we made easily. However it is not financially viable to continue to operate at this level at this time." Warwick was appointed as voluntary administrator of GAME Australia on May 14.

The Australian Financial Review posted a list of the 60 stores that have closed.

60 GAME Australia stores to close originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 26 May 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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38 Studios and Big Huge Games lay off entire staffs [update]

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 24 May 2012 16:30:00 EST

38 Studios and Big Huge Games have both let go of their entire staffs, a source with knowledge of the situation tells Joystiq. Following reports that 38 Studios stopped paying staff on May 1, and just an hour before a scheduled press conference in Rhode Island addressing the recent 38 Studios financial debacle, both the Providence, RI-based 38 Studios and the Baltimore, MD-based Big Huge Games are no more.

"Big Huge Games was home for my wife and me for our adult lives so far. I'll miss it terribly, but so proud. Good night and good luck," former Big Huge Games lead world designer Colin Campbell said on his Twitter account. Big Huge's latest release was the moderately successful Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. The studio was picked up by 38 Studios back in 2009, and it crafted the first entry in 38's ambitious new universe: Amalur.

The recent financial tumult arose following a defaulted payment from 38 Studios to the Rhode Island state government on May 1, indicating much larger financial issues that could ultimately lead to Rhode Island taxpayers owing up to $112.6 million between 2013 and 2020. It's unclear whether today's layoffs mean 38 Studios is unable to pay back the approximately $50 million its owes Rhode Island of a planed $75 million loan. If that's the case, Rhode Island will take over ownership of the Amalur IP, valued at around $20 million.

We expect to hear more at a scheduled press conference this evening held by Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee.

Update: WPRI got ahold of the internal memo to employees at 38 Studios, which reads: "The Company is experiencing an economic downturn. To avoid further losses and possibility of retrenchment, the Company has decided that a companywide lay off is absolutely necessary. These layoffs are non-voluntary and non-disciplinary. This is your official notice of lay off, effective today, Thursday, May 24th, 2012." Big Huge Games and 38 Studios collectively employed 379 full-timers as of March 15, according to the report.

38 Studios and Big Huge Games lay off entire staffs [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 24 May 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Closure review: Go into the light

Richard Mitchell — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 14:00:00 EST

Light is a fundamental part of existence. It pulls forms out of the dark, giving them shape, distance and color. Without light, everything we know would perish, leaving behind a barren, invisible world. Closure takes the fundamental nature of light one step further: where there is no light, there is oblivion.

Continue reading Closure review: Go into the light

Closure review: Go into the light originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Mar 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSN Tuesday: Closure, final week of Spring Fever sale

David Hinkle — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 18:30:00 EST

Headlining this week's PlayStation Store update is Closure, the winner of the 2012 Indie Game Challenge at DICE. It's joined by PS Vita game Supremacy MMA and the free video editing app, PlayMemories Studio.

This is the final week of the Spring Fever sale, so if you're looking to snag some Tom Clancy games on the cheap just about all of 'em are on sale. Hit the source link for the full list of this week's goodies.

PSN Tuesday: Closure, final week of Spring Fever sale originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Mar 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Closure comes to PSN on March 27

JC Fletcher — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:40:00 EST

A year ago, a headline like that would likely have been about the closure of the service; today, however, it marks unequivocally positive news. Closure, this year's Indie Game Challenge winner, will be released on PSN for PlayStation 3 March 27.

Closure takes place in a monochrome world in where if you can't see something, it doesn't exist. That means you must find a light source in order to even have somewhere to walk. And, in keeping with the concept of visibility, you can make the game real for you by watching this cool new trailer.

Closure comes to PSN on March 27 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Closure wins 2012 Indie Game Challenge at DICE

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:45:00 EST

Closure won the third annual Indie Game Challenge at this year's DICE show in Las Vegas. The clever puzzle platformer, which works off the premise that only illuminated objects exist in the game world, has players manipulating lights to solve challenge rooms. The team will receive $100,000 for taking the top prize, sponsored by The Guildhall at SMU, GameStop and the AIAS. The game will be available soon on PSN.

Other category winners included Symphony for technical achievement, The Bridge for achievements in art direction and gameplay, and Nitronic Rush received the "Gamer's Choice Award." The teams receive $2,500 for each category.

Check out all ten of this year's talented nominees by heading over to the Indie Game Challenge site.

Closure wins 2012 Indie Game Challenge at DICE originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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European retailer Game puts a plaster over its money wound

Jessica Conditt — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:30:00 EST

Earlier this week Game met with lenders to discuss its credit problems and options for staying in business, and now Game reports it will operate "with lower limits" and under "revised terms for its facilities." As of November 2011, Game had 1,275 stores in Europe and Australia, but has hinted that it could sell off more than half of its overseas locations, and it plans to close 60 stores by 2013. It closed 39 locations last year.

Game's economic problems aren't an issue solely for retailers, but can affect the larger gaming industry as well -- both EA and Take-Two discussed Game's position during their Q3 financial calls.

European retailer Game puts a plaster over its money wound originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 still in development, GSC seeking funds to continue

Jessica Conditt — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is still in development, GSC Game World announced via the official S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Facebook page, writing, "The Stalker team is extremely happy! Why? Because we are continuing work on Stalker 2 after the holidays." GSC is celebrating, for now -- spokesperson Oleg Yavorsky said GSC is still seeking funding to support S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, according to a statement published by Edge.

"We are hopeful things turn out well eventually," Yavorsky said. "The team really wants to see S.T.A.L.K.E.R. continue."

In December, GSC responded to rumors that it would be shut down, saying that there was cause for hope and to await news in January. Things seem to be going well at the moment, but we have contacted GSC for clarification on its financial situation and the continued development of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 still in development, GSC seeking funds to continue originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: EA shuts down Bright Light after consultation process

Jessica Conditt — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 19:45:00 EST

EA's Bright Light Studio in the UK has been officially shuttered, Develop reports. In October Bright Light was in the midst of a formal consultation process, a period of time required by UK law before a company can shut down completely, dependent on how many employees it has. Bright Light, responsible for three of the most recent Harry Potter games, closed late in 2010, Develop says.

EA said previously that it would consider Bright Light employees for positions at other EA Studios, and Develop reports some have indeed moved to EA's Criterion and Playfish, while others have joined nearby studios Jagex and Supermassive Games.

We have contacted EA for confirmation on the closure.

Report: EA shuts down Bright Light after consultation process originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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S.T.A.L.K.E.R. devs: 'There is cause for hope,' more news in January

Jessica Conditt — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 14:45:00 EST

GSC Game World, developer of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series, was rumored to have shut down earlier this month, a move that would have affected roughly 45 employees. However, GSC still appears to be alive and ~~kicking~~ wiggling its legs slightly, announcing via Twitter that "there is cause for hope!"

In the same tweet, GSC said it "will not be releasing any official news until around mid January," which suggests the studio will still be running in some capacity at least until then. GSC was developing S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, and we can only hope for some good news in January from the studio.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. devs: 'There is cause for hope,' more news in January originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Dec 2011 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 dev on closure reports: 'nothing is certain'

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 12:30:00 EST

It appears as though S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise dev GSC Game World may not be giving up, at least not yet, with an ambiguous Twitter message from the company's official feed stating, "We will do our best to continue. However, at this point, nothing is certain."

Last last week when reports of GSC's closure were still fresh, the feed reportedly had a message which read, "No we have not closed GSC or cancelled," but it was said to be deleted soon after, according to Edge. A followup missive from the company notes that the website "will continue, with the forum and tech support." Additionally, the GSC shop will apparently carry on "until the nearest planned items sell out."

While the company may not be entirely closed yet, these messages read like little more than the death rattle of a business on its last legs, sadly. Given the circumstances, it stands to reason that development of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 has stopped, though its unclear what will happen to the IP. We wish the best for the approximately 45 employees said to be affected.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 dev on closure reports: 'nothing is certain' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Australian indie: From ratings systems to a boom of small studios, how AU will survive

Jessica Conditt — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 18:00:00 EST

Australia has one of the most lenient video-game-rating systems in the world.

No, really -- despite its reputation as an ultra-conservative, mature-rating hating government, "the reality is that many more games that are restricted to 17-year-olds in the U.S. or 18-year-olds in Europe are available without edit for 15-year-olds in Australia," said Chris Wright, former marketing head for THQ's two Australian studios, Blue Tongue and Studio Australia. "On balance, Australia is probably the most lenient country in the world for access to mature games."

No, really -- Wright was the man who presented Saints Row to the Australian classification board and he prepared plenty of ratings submissions in the country, both as head of THQ Asia Pacific and its two Australian studios. He knows the system, meaning he knows what it has and what it doesn't, such as an R18+ rating.

"I believe passionately that Australia needs an R18+ rating," Wright said. "But for me the R18+ rating is not about access to games, but parity with other entertainment forms and the acknowledgement of gaming as an adult pursuit. The R18+ rating will have a net effect of greater overall restrictions on access to games -- many games that would have previously been available to 15-year-olds will now only be available for 18-year-olds and above -- but will mean that a few games at the top end of the maturity scale are allowed to be released."

Legislation in Australia recently approved the R18+ rating (though it may take a few years to be enacted) and its Law Reform Commission is attempting to revamp the country's video-game rating system to acknowledge its adult audience. But recently, Australia has had more than ratings to worry about.

Continue reading Australian indie: From ratings systems to a boom of small studios, how AU will survive

Australian indie: From ratings systems to a boom of small studios, how AU will survive originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 13 Nov 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Closure preview: Try, try again

Griffin McElroy — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 19:30:00 EST

Logic-based games are only compelling the first time you play them. At least, that's what Closure reboot developer Eyebrow Interactive thinks, and if you're only going to enjoy the game the first time through, they figure they'll make that trip as long and arduous as humanly possible.

It's an interesting (and completely apt) theory. Solutions are only satisfying the first time you divine them, that feeling of overwhelming bewilderment is only bewildering the first time you encounter it -- unless you have some kind of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind memory-wiping machine, your second run through of your favorite puzzle game probably won't be as poignant as your first.

Continue reading Closure preview: Try, try again

Closure preview: Try, try again originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Sep 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Disney moves to close Split/Second developer Black Rock

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 10:04:00 EST

Black Rock Studio, developer of Split/Second and Pure, will soon be blasted out of existence by the House of Mouse. In a statement provided to Eurogamer, Disney confirmed that none of the current projects at the studio were given the greenlight, and that employees had been told of an impending "consultation process" -- a 90-day phase under UK law warning of potential closure.

It's a sad end for a developer that deserved better. Pure and Split/Second were both critically acclaimed racing games that had a rough time finding an audience. Layoffs began at the studio several months back and a few of the top brass have already formed new outfits. Black Rock Studio's General Manager Tony Beckwith tells Joystiq he can't "comment at the moment" on the situation.

Disney moves to close Split/Second developer Black Rock originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 Jul 2011 10:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bizarre fell into 'making games to fill slots,' says ex-creative director

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 12:35:00 EST

Members of defunct developer Bizarre Creations recently provided Edge with more insight into what eventually led to the studio's shuttering. The general impression, beyond former design manager Gareth Wilson's reiteration of a "perfect storm of unfortunate circumstances," is that Bizarre's independent culture began to deteriorate following the Activision acquisition.

"We weren't an independent studio making 'our' games anymore," said former creative director Martyn Chudley. "We were making games to fill slots. Although we did all believe in them, they were more the products of committees and analysts. The culture we'd worked on for so long gradually eroded just enough so that it wasn't 'ours' anymore."

Chudley also claimed that the studio was given the opportunity to buy itself back, but as commercial manager Sarah Chudley explained it, the studio had grown considerably since the Activision takeover and "we just didn't have the skills, capability or finances to look after over 200 people." Without a third party coming in to assume control, it seemed wiser for everyone to walk away.

Bizarre fell into 'making games to fill slots,' says ex-creative director originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 12:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SOE confirms studio closures, cancels The Agency

James Ransom-Wiley — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:52:00 EST

Following earlier reports of studio closures and mass layoffs, Sony Online Entertainment has issued an official statement regarding its "strategic decision to reduce costs and streamline its global workforce." The company confirmed the closings of its Denver, Seattle and Tucson studios and the elimination of 205 jobs.

Additionally, SOE announced the cancellation of The Agency, the long-delayed, cross-platform spy MMO under development at SOE Seattle. The company said it's discontinuing production of the title to "focus development resources on delivering two new MMOs based on its renowned PlanetSide and EverQuest properties, while also maintaining its current portfolio of online games."

SOE added that the Denver and Tucson studios' projects would be transitioned over to its San Diego headquarters. The company's full statement is posted after the break.

Continue reading SOE confirms studio closures, cancels The Agency

SOE confirms studio closures, cancels The Agency originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pi Studios reportedly shuttered, ex-staff form Category 6 Studios [update: Pi Studios status unclear]

Richard Mitchell — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:30:00 EST

Houston-based game developer Pi Studios has closed its doors, reports Big Download via a reliable source. The studio had a hand in several notable titles, including Call of Duty 2, Call of Duty: World at War, Wolfenstein and the PS2 and Wii versions of several Rock Band games. Most recently, the studio was working on Bonk: Brink of Extinction, the 3DS version of which was reportedly canceled earlier this month. Assuming the report of the studio's closure is accurate, the XBLA, WiiWare, and PSN versions are presumably canceled as well.

Prior to today's report, several former members of Pi Studios recently formed Category 6 Studios, led by Kenn Hoekstra. The new company today announced its first title, Blackout, an Unreal Engine-powered survival horror game in development for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.

Update: Additional investigation by Big Download and Joystiq has uncovered conflicting reports as to the operational status of the Pi Studios business. Pi Studios may still be operational but the extent of its operations remains unclear. Joystiq has once again reached out to Pi Studios for an official response."

Pi Studios reportedly shuttered, ex-staff form Category 6 Studios [update: Pi Studios status unclear] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Three SOE studios close, layoffs abound

James Ransom-Wiley — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 11:05:00 EST

Following a series of tweets from George Broussard, co-owner of 3D Realms, which indicated that Sony Online Entertainment would be undergoing layoffs and possible studio closures around its five locations today, Kotaku reports that a source "familiar with the matter" has confirmed the closures of SOE's Denver, Seattle and Tucson studios. Additionally, half of the Austin staff has been reportedly laid off, along with a "sizeable" number of workers at SOE's San Diego headquarters. In all, the layoffs are said to affect nearly one-third of SOE's total workforce.

Notably, SOE Seattle has been the lead development studio of The Agency, which had been slated to launch in the second half of the year (after a long delay). Neither SOE Denver nor Tucson has been working on anything as high profile as The Agency, though both have continued to operate a number of SOE titles, including Denver's Legends Of Norrath and other digital card games, and Tucson's PoxNora strategy game.U

Update: SOE has issued an official statement confirming the report and providing further details.

Report: Three SOE studios close, layoffs abound originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 11:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bizarre Creations farewell video is legitimately sad

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 10:35:00 EST

We wouldn't check out the video after the jump if you're planning on having a day of unbridled happiness and positivity. It's Bizarre Creations' farewell video, released today, the last day of the studio's existence -- and, as you might imagine, it's super poignant and sad. We'll miss you, Bizarre!

Continue reading Bizarre Creations farewell video is legitimately sad

Bizarre Creations farewell video is legitimately sad originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 Feb 2011 10:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bizarre Creations closes its doors this Friday

Griffin McElroy — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST

Though Activision's recent decisions will result in the wholesale freezing of a number of its business units, let's not forget one developer that was sentenced to a similar fate last November: Bizarre Creations. According to Develop, the studio will permanently shutter the doors of its Liverpool studio this coming Friday, February 18.

We know this is kind of bummer news to share with you on Valentine's Day, but let's look at it this way: Here's a chance for us to talk about all our favorite Bizarre titles! (What's that? Cho Aniki Zero? No, no -- Bizarre Creations titles.) Feel free to use the comments to send a little love out to this deserving developer.

Continue reading Bizarre Creations closes its doors this Friday

Bizarre Creations closes its doors this Friday originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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7 Studios shut down, part of Activision music game cutback, staff report

James Ransom-Wiley — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 11:00:00 EST

7 Studios, part of Activision's music game division, has been shut down, according to staff posting on Twitter. Following Activision's announcement yesterday that its Guitar Hero business unit would be disbanded and no new music games would be released this year, 7 Studios producer Damon Conn tweeted, "Directly affected me. Our music games division really took a hit today."

"Activision is shutting down the Guitar Hero business as of today. This includes my studio," another 7 Studios staff member named Alex confirmed last night on Twitter, "Anyone know of any open associate producer jobs?" (This appears to be the Twitter account of 7 Studios' Alex Beckers, who has updated his LinkedIn profile to reflect the end of his employment at the studio. [Update: Beckers has confirmed his Twitter identity.])

"Lame day, but [I'm] optimistic about the future [and] wish the best to all my current/former colleagues," added 7 Studios creative director Dan Lehrich on his Twitter account. "Good luck to all, let me know if I can help." Lehrich later exchanged tweets with Beckers in a heartfelt goodbye.

7 Studios was acquired by Activision in early 2009, an action that launched a still-ongoing series of lawsuits with publisher Genius Products, which had contracted 7 Studios to create Scratch: The Ultimate DJ (pictured) before Activision stepped in and scooped up the studio (halting Scratch's development). In October 2009, Activision reportedly reduced 7 Studios' staff by half, leaving the developer with approximately 30 employees (LinkedIn currently lists 36).

7 Studios was assumed to be the DJ Hero "B-team," supporting Freestyle Games as needed, including work on DJ Hero 2. "I can't tell you what they're doing, but they're doing some cool stuff," Activision exec Dave Stohl told us last July. "They have supported FreeStyle a little bit, but they're doing something new and different." According to Lehrich's LinkedIn page, 7 Studios was involved in the creation of the Guitar Hero VIP Pass DLC hub, in addition to "Unannounced Projects" for iOS and "Various Prototypes/Concepts" for a number of platforms.

Both Conn and Beckers additionally list involvement in last year's Space Camp.

Update: A source close to the situation, who wishes to remain anonymous, tells us that approximately half of 7 Studios' staff members were immediately laid off and will receive sixty days worth of severance pay. The remaining staff are apparently directly involved with the aforementioned lawsuits, which are reported to go to trial next month. Allegedly, these staff will be paid for the next 120 days, which is expected to cover the time it takes to resolve the legal dispute with Genius Products. The source additionally confirmed that 7 Studios had been working on a few music-related iOS games.

7 Studios shut down, part of Activision music game cutback, staff report originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Indie darling Closure gets a facelift for commercial release

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 16:40:00 EST

Did Tyler Glaiel's wonderful, browser-based puzzler Closure engender a little ill will from you after you learned about its pending commercial release? Easy, tiger. The IGF Award winner has received a major cosmetic overhaul to prepare for its retail launch, the results of which are posted below.

Continue reading Indie darling Closure gets a facelift for commercial release

Indie darling Closure gets a facelift for commercial release originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Feb 2011 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Propaganda Games shuttered

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:00:00 EST

Propaganda Games -- developer of 2008's Turok reboot and, most recently, Tron: Evolution -- is officially closed. Parent company and publisher Disney Interactive confirmed the unfortunate news to Joystiq this afternoon, issuing this statement: "Disney Interactive Studios confirms the closure of its Vancouver-based internal game development studio, Propaganda Games. The studio has completed all work associated with its most recent project."

Propaganda's Pirates of the Caribbean game was canceled last October, and the studio was reduced in size, with the only apparent goal to complete Tron and its planned post-launch DLC. It's as yet unclear if any more DLC will be released beyond the day-one freebie.

[Thanks, Alex]

Propaganda Games shuttered originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Microsoft shutting down Massive in-game marketing firm

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 16:36:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Adweek reports that inside sources at Microsoft have confirmed that Massive Inc., a Microsoft-owned advertising firm with a focus on in-game marketing, will be shut down by its parent company before the end of the month. The reasons for Massive's waning business are apparently twofold: Apparently, Microsoft favors advertising directly on the Xbox Live dashboard, as the company keeps all of the ad revenue, while Massive must split its revenue with publishers. In addition, sources told Adweek that EA's recent decision to keep in-game ads in-house stripped Massive of some of its largest clients.

The price at which Microsoft purchased Massive Inc. in 2006 is estimated to be between $200 million and $400 million, both of which are a great deal of money. The firm faced its fair share of hardships last year, when its parent company laid off more than one quarter of its staff. We've contacted Microsoft for a comment on the report.

Update: A Microsoft spokesperson responded to our query with a boilerplate "Microsoft does not comment on rumors or speculation."

Report: Microsoft shutting down Massive in-game marketing firm originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 08 Oct 2010 16:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ignition shutting down London studio, fate of WarDevil under evaluation

James Ransom-Wiley — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 18:40:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Ignition Entertainment is in the process of shutting down its west London development studio, reports GamesIndustry.biz. The closure will result in an unspecified number of layoffs, and stalls the progress of WarDevil and another project, uh, Project Kane. The studio is expected to officially close on October 31.

Formerly known as Digi-Guys, the Ignition London studio, located in Ealing, has been toiling over various incarnations of WarDevil for years. A "WarDevil: Unleash the Beast Within" demo was first shown at TGS ... 2005. The last update on the game dates back to roughly a year ago, when Edge magazine toured the studio and saw two tech demos (one on the original Xbox!). According to Ignition group chairman Hassan Sadiq, the mysterious WarDevil and the even more mysterious Project Kane just passed new, six-month proof-of-concept phases, and "the board and studio management are currently evaluating [...] whether the required quality will be achieved by completing internally or with an external partner."

Ignitiion, which was acquired by Indian media conglomerate UTV in 2007, will continue to operate its corporate headquarters out of London, with a focus on publishing; though Sadiq assured that projects underway at Ignition's other studios in Austin, Gainesville (Fla.), Beijing and Tokyo (where the intriguing action game El Shaddai is in development) are "ramping up." The company's most recent release was Zombie Studios' Blacklight: Tango Down, a downloadable mutliplayer FPS.

Ignition shutting down London studio, fate of WarDevil under evaluation originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Realtime Worlds employees let go, US branch also shutting down

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Though reports last week seemed to indicate that a buyer would swoop in at the last second and save the faltering APB developer Realtime Worlds, the studio has revealed that its remaining 50 employees have been terminated. Sixteen temporary positions are still active to finish shutting down the Dundee studio. The company's US branch, based out of Boulder, Colo., is facing a similar fate, letting go of 33 of its staff, leaving behind a skeleton crew to bring the branch to a close. A Realtime spokesperson told Develop that the studio is "now likely to apply for Chapter 7 Protection."

Begbies Traynor, the firm responsible for the company's administration, is also under fire from a handful of sources both internal and otherwise. Develop reports that a number of ex-Realtime employees claim they've been denied their redundancy pay -- a claim which a Begbies Traynor spokesperson responded to by saying, "redundancy payment will be made in accordance with current UK legislation."

Continue reading Final Realtime Worlds employees let go, US branch also shutting down

Final Realtime Worlds employees let go, US branch also shutting down originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Sep 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Midway liquidation plan approved by court

Griffin McElroy — Sun, 23 May 2010 22:00:00 EST

The last shreds of the former developer known as Midway will soon be dissolved into the ether, as a Delaware court has agreed to the terms of the company's plan to repay a portion of its debts. Businessweek reports that after liquidating all its assets, Midway will distribute about $25.5 million to unsecured noteholders, which is about 16.5 percent of what those noteholders are owed. Unsecured creditors will get $9.2 million, which is around one-quarter of what Midway owes them.

So, now that all of its assets either belong to Warner Bros. or are being hocked to repay lenders, we think we've probably seen the last of the once great Midway empire. Unless one of you guys feels like giving them like, $600 million. C'mon, there's gotta be at least one obscenely rich, completely obsessed Mortal Kombat fan out there.

[Via Kotaku]

Midway liquidation plan approved by court originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 23 May 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sega confirms closure of Iron Man dev Sega Studios San Francisco [update]

Griffin McElroy — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 10:31:00 EST

The word-of-mouth we reported on last week was proven accurate this morning, when Sega confirmed that it has shut down Sega Studios San Francisco (formerly Secret Level), developer of Iron Man and Golden Axe: Beast Rider. An unnamed Sega representative issued a statement to IndustryGamers, offering condolences to the recently unemployed developers, while promising to "continue to pursue external development opportunities all over the world," a fact we're sure the aforementioned jobless truly appreciate.

The only unknown in this scenario is the fate of the studio's swan song, the video game adaptation of Iron Man 2. Rumor has it that the game was finished, but Sega's yet to issue a statement on its completion. We've contacted Sega to find out the game's status, and to find out how many naughty Easter eggs its disgruntled developers embedded within it after being informed their jobs were forfeit.

Update: A Sega representative has confirmed that Iron Man 2's May 4 release date hasn't been affected by the studio's closure.

Sega confirms closure of Iron Man dev Sega Studios San Francisco [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 06 Apr 2010 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Sega Studios San Francisco shutting down

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 09:35:00 EST

According to a report by Sega Nerds, which 1UP later claimed to confirm via an anonymous insider at the company, Sega Studios San Francisco, creators of Iron Man, Golden Axe: Beast Rider and the Xbox port of Karaoke Revolution (which was developed under the studio's original moniker, Secret Level), will be shutting down, possibly as soon as this evening. According to 1UP, a memo about the closure began to circulate through the company yesterday -- meaning it could just be the most tasteless April Fools' Day joke in the history of mankind.

Both 1UP and Sega Nerds report that Sega Studios San Fran's current project, Iron Man 2, has been completed, so a studio shutdown wouldn't derail the title's May 4 release date. It might, however, derail the studios' employees' enjoyment of this Easter weekend. If the report turns out to be accurate, we wish everyone at Sega Studios San Francisco the best of luck in finding new means of employment.

Report: Sega Studios San Francisco shutting down originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 02 Apr 2010 09:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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THQ closes mobile developer Universomo

JC Fletcher — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 01:30:00 EST

THQ has confirmed the closure of Finnish developer Universomo, who worked on mobile licensed games for the publisher -- and whose original (and interesting-looking) DS game, Beat City, is expected to be released this spring. Paradoxically, the confirmation of the shutdown was given to Mobile Entertainment as part of a note about THQ's increased dedication to mobile gaming.

"We are very excited about digital gaming and have increased our investment in this area," a THQ rep said. "We have more than 15 games and entertainment applications scheduled for release on mobile handsets this year. That said, we did place Universomo into liquidation." THQ plans to use external companies for the development of these titles. Even so, it seems Universomo picked the wrong time to make a DS game instead of a cell phone game.

[Via Edge]

THQ closes mobile developer Universomo originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 01:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cursed Mountain dev Deep Silver Vienna shuttered

Ben Gilbert — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 17:30:00 EST

As confirmed by parent company Koch Media to Develop, Cursed Mountain developer Deep Silver Vienna has apparently been closed. Citing "the overall economic situation" and noting "this decision is not easy for us," the 20-person staff was recently cut and told they would receive pay through the end of March. Develop posits that the studio's other game -- Ride to Hell -- will likely remain unaffected by the shutdown, as UK dev house Eutechnyx is handling development and Koch Media's Munich offices will oversee the game's management.

Deep Silver Vienna was formed in the wake of Rockstar Vienna's closing back in 2006, and originally called itself Games That Matter. Ex-Rockstar Vienna heads Hannes Seifert and Niki Laber launched the studio, and it is said that Siefert has moved on to a position at Square Enix Europe as a creative director. As with every case like this, we'd like to wish those affected the best of luck.

Cursed Mountain dev Deep Silver Vienna shuttered originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 31 Jan 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rebellion to 'review the need' for Derby Studio

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 09:45:00 EST

Rebellion, which is currently working on Aliens vs. Predator and recently blessed us with Rogue Warrior, will likely shut down one of its facilities. GI.biz reports the company plans on closing its Derby, UK studios as it focuses resources on its Runcorn and Oxford locations, the latter of which is handling AvP. The Derby studio was once home to the Core Design team, the originators of the Tomb Raider franchise before Lady Croft left for Crystal Dynamics.

Studio CEO Jason Kingsley said in a statement that "growth is sometimes painful, never more so than in the current climate" and that the company has "decided to review the need for the Derby facilities, and consultation with staff at Derby is ongoing." GI.biz reports "a number of staff have been made redundant," which is the UK's horribly polite way of saying "kicked to the curb." And, with that, we have our first layoff story of 2010 -- please, we can't go through another year of this.

Rebellion to 'review the need' for Derby Studio originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Jan 2010 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Independent Games Festival 2010 finalists announced

Griffin McElroy — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 11:28:00 EST

The contenders for the 12th Annual Independent Games Festival awards have been announced today -- you can find the full list of finalists after the jump. In addition to the Seamus McNally Grand Prize (nominees for which include Joe Danger and Super Meat Boy), there are specialized categories recognizing excellence in art, design, audio, and technical achievement. There's also the Nuovo Award, which honors "abstract, shortform, and unconventional game development." Previous winners of the Nuovo include N+ co-creator Mare Sheppard and Passage developer Jason Rohrer.

We find ourselves particularly invested in this year's awards show, as -- deep breath now -- AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!! -- A Reckless Disregard For Gravity was nominated for Excellence in Design. We've got, like, a million jokes we still want to make about that game title, but we're running out of opportunities to do so.

Continue reading Independent Games Festival 2010 finalists announced

Independent Games Festival 2010 finalists announced originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Pandemic goes out with a bang, 'Office Space' style

Richard Mitchell — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:15:00 EST

There's no two ways about it: having your studio shut down does not feel good. However, it does feel good to be a gangsta. Damn good. To prove this ancient adage, some former Pandemic employees put together a little Office Space-inspired video to honor the house that brought us Mercenaries, the Star Wars Battlefront series and the upcoming release, The Saboteur.

Kotaku reports that the mercilessly destroyed printer was, in fact, used by the Saboteur team, giving the video an extra layer of sweet vengeance. A word to EA: if you're missing any red Swingline staplers, we might know where they are. Watch the (very NSFW) video after the break.

Continue reading Video: Pandemic goes out with a bang, 'Office Space' style

Video: Pandemic goes out with a bang, 'Office Space' style originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pandemic closes physical doors, brand lives on

Justin McElroy — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:12:00 EST

We've got a little more perspective on the closing of Pandemic, which was rumored earlier today. Though the studio will physically close, and the majority of its staff (some 200 people) will be sacked, the brand and IPs (like Mercenaries, Star Wars: Battlefront and The Saboteur) will continue, EA representative Holly Rockwood told Joystiq. Founders Josh Resnick, Andrew Goldman, Greg Borrud will leave the company.

A lucky few from Pandemic will continue the studio's work under the EALA roof in Playa Vista, reporting to GM Sean Decker. Here's hoping that those who aren't as fortunate won't have to go too long without work.

Pandemic closes physical doors, brand lives on originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IndieCade 2009: The finalists

Mike Schramm — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:26:00 EST

IndieCade 2009 was held in Culver City, CA this past weekend, and the local art galleries and restaurants were filled with independent games and their developers from all over the world. The festival billed itself as the "video game Sundance" and lived up to this self-made reputation, putting 29 different indie games on display, both throughout the weekend and during a Thursday night opening ceremony MC'd by Uncharted 2's Richard Lemarchand (shown above with festival founder Stephanie Barish).

We've rounded up the festival's finalists in the gallery below. You may be familiar with a few of them, including Twisted Pixel's The Maw and a selection of well-known iPhone titles, but all of these titles deserve your attention -- and a playthrough!

Gallery: IndieCade 2009 Finalists

IndieCade 2009: The finalists originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BottleRocket fizzles out of existence

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 09:08:00 EST

BottleRocket Entertainment, the company that had worked on Splatterhouse and a game based on The Flash, has shut down. Studio founder Jay Beard confirmed the closure and noted in an email that he plans to make a new operation "from the ground up."

According to Beard, BottleRocket had been in a precarious position "for the past six months," presumably ever since Namco Bandai pulled the Splatterhouse project from the studio citing "performance issues." The developer denied the accusation and members of BottleRocket were even put back on the Splatterhouse project after the full team was removed. Another contributing factor to the studio's passing was likely the halted Flash game that was allegedly in development until publisher Brash Entertainment's demise. Hopefully, Beard will have better luck with his next studio.

BottleRocket fizzles out of existence originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Sep 2009 09:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PAX 10 announced, features an all-stars of indie gaming selection

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:45:00 EST

With PAX 2009 just under two months away, the folks organizing the Penny Arcade Expo have begun gearing up for the show. How do we know, you ask? Simple: The PAX 10 was announced today, featuring a list of games we'd sorta/kinda heard of before.

Since we're so cool and totally knew about all these games before anyone else did (yeah right), we're a bit nonplussed by this year's PAX 10 winners. Hell, we even have Fieldrunners running on our giant, collective iPhone right now. Seriously! Okay, fine, we only knew that one ...

CarneyVale: Showtime by the Singapore-MIT GAMBIT Games Lab (Xbox 360)
Closure by Tyler Glaiel and Jon Schubbe (PC)
Fieldrunners by Subatomic Studios (iPhone/iPod touch)
Liight by Studio Walljump (Wii)
Machinarium by Amanita Design (PC)
Osmos by Hemisphere Games (PC)
Puzzle Bloom by Team Shotgun (PC)
Tag: The Power of Paint by Tag Team (PC)
Trino by Trinoteam (Xbox 360)
What is Bothering Carl? by Story Fort (PC)

PAX 10 announced, features an all-stars of indie gaming selection originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Two Midway studios facing possible closure in two weeks

Griffin McElroy — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:10:00 EST

If you've got an extra few million bucks lying around, we can think of a couple of video game development studios that could really use it. According to a recent report from Guardian.uk, Midway's Newcastle and San Diego studios are facing closure if they can't find buyers by the end of June. For those whose extended WoW sessions have left them chronologically unaware, that's just two weeks from today.

The Guardian's article focuses on the Newcastle studio -- creators of the recently released Diesel-fest Wheelman -- which is trying to stave off death by finding investors for its unannounced open-world action game. We're far from financial experts, but perhaps keeping said project under wraps isn't the best way to attract suitors in such a brief timeframe. Just, you know, a suggestion.

[Via CVG]

Two Midway studios facing possible closure in two weeks originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Factor 5 shuts down US operations

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 14 May 2009 13:15:00 EST

Factor 5 officially announced the closure of its US operations recently, concluding a story that feels like it's been just out of reach for half a year. The developer had been having some rough times since the poignant failure of Lair. Following that, there was its falling out with Brash Entertainment (which led to layoffs), leaks of the Superman and Kid Icarus games, and, obviously, the closure of the studio.

The bright side on this really dark tale is that Achim Moller, CEO of Factor 5 Germany, states the company has "partnered with both old and new friends in the industry who will reveal our upcoming projects over the next months." With E3 visible in the smog-filled distance, perhaps we'll learn what the German-based developer is up to soon.

[Via Kotaku, Siliconera]

Factor 5 shuts down US operations originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 14 May 2009 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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