Joystiq

Elite: Dangerous developer Frontier has layoffs in middle of Kickstarter

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 15:00:00 EST

Adding a whole new level of unintended guilt to Frontier's Kickstarter for Elite: Dangerous, the company went through a round of layoffs late last week.

"Frontier regretfully has given a total of 14 people (from a staff of 233) notice that their roles are redundant, across art (9), animation (3) and audio (2) disciplines. This is due to the changing mix of skills requirements for our current and future projects - it is not a reflection on the company's prospects, which remain healthy," Frontier managing director David Walsh told Eurogamer.

The developer's Kickstarter for Elite: Dangerous is currently at around £782,000 of a £1.25 million goal, with 18 days to go.

Elite: Dangerous developer Frontier has layoffs in middle of Kickstarter originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Dec 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Elite: Dangerous developer diary details evolving galaxy

Mike Suszek — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 12:00:00 EST

Elite: Dangerous, the Kickstarter project by Frontier Developments, has a new developer diary video from Founder David Braben discussing the ways in which the game's galaxy evolves over time. In the video, Braben describes the development of planets and the various contracts that players complete in the game, including the transportation dignitaries that may have bounties on their heads.

The Kickstarter project is at the half-way point of its nearly $2 million funding goal with 33 days left before its January 4, 2013 deadline. Providing the goal is met, Elite: Dangerous is set to launch on PC in March 2014.

Elite: Dangerous developer diary details evolving galaxy originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 02 Dec 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Elite: Dangerous Kickstarter gets video and concept art

Mike Suszek — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 10:30:00 EST

Frontier Developments updated its Kickstarter page for Elite: Dangerous with a few pieces of concept art and a video. The video shows Elite co-creator and Founder of Frontier Developments David Braben discussing the history of the series and his vision for Dangerous.

The Kickstarter project is about a third of the way to its nearly $2 million goal with over 50 days to go in its funding cycle.

Gallery: Elite: Dangerous (Concept Art)

Elite: Dangerous Kickstarter gets video and concept art originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 11 Nov 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Elite co-creator plans to resurrect series with Dangerous Kickstarter

Sinan Kubba — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 09:00:00 EST

Elite co-creator David Braben is the latest grandfather of space sims to turn to Kickstarter, with plans to resurrect the classic series through new game Dangerous. Braben set up a minimum of £1.25 million (roughly $2 million) in funding to launch Elite: Dangerous, but is hoping for more so his team at UK-based Frontier Developments can be "more ambitious with content and platforms." As it stands, Frontier plans to release Elite: Dangerous on PC in March 2014.

If Dangerous does arrive then, it will have been almost three decades since Elite left its indelible mark on gaming back in 1984. Two true sequels were released: Frontier: Elite in 1993 and Frontier: First Encounters in 1995. Braben has headed Frontier Developments since then, a studio more recently known for Kinectimals and LostWinds.

As Braben notes on the Kickstarter page, Frontier diced with trying to make the fourth Elite game, including developing it as a MMO back in 2000. It's been on the backburner at the British studio for a few years now, but going by the six figures raised in a matter of hours it's likely Elite: Dangerous marks the return of one of gaming's most venerable names.

Elite co-creator plans to resurrect series with Dangerous Kickstarter originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 06 Nov 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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