Bizarre Creations closed down, Budcat too. Lucas Arts downsize as well.

[Maximus]

So a rumour going around that since 007 bombed Bizarre Creations have been closed down.

Sad times for everyone involved and I hope everyone lands on their feet.

Also Activision prove themselves to be the short term bastards we all knew they were. I can only hope that people tell them where to go with their wallets, but that is, I fear hoping for too much. I am happy that Bungie didn't go into a full ownership agreement and only a publishing deal for 5 games. As soon as Call of Duty dies Activision will be finished. I will celebrate when that day comes.

Update:

http://gamasutra.com/view/news/31573...Dev_Budcat.php

Budcat too, they were a Guitar Hero co developer. 88 positions gone.

Also Lucas Arts:

http://gamasutra.com/view/news/31580...Adjustment.php

50 people will lose out.

Sad times for the gaming industry all around.

[BlackMamba]

Originally Posted by Maximus

So a rumour going around that since 007 bombed Bizarre Creations have been closed down.

Sad times for everyone involved and I hope everyone lands on their feet.

Also Activision prove themselves to be the short term bastards we all knew they were. I can only hope that people tell them where to go with their wallets, but that is, I fear hoping for too much. I am happy that Bungie didn't go into a full ownership agreement and only a publishing deal for 5 games. As soon as Call of Duty dies Activision will be finished. I will celebrate when that day comes.

I believe Activision has quite a few flagship titles under its umbrella, especially after the acquisition of Blizzard.

[Blu Ian]

http://www.giantbomb.com/news/bizarr...s-closed/2731/

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by BlackMamba

I believe Activision has quite a few flagship titles under its umbrella, especially after the acquisition of Blizzard.

You have it the wrong way around. Vivendi (owners of Blizzard) bought Activision. Activision have one mega IP, CoD, that is it. Once that is done (and it will, make no mistake) they have nothing left. They killed Guitar Hero, Tony Hawk, Bizarre, James Bond, everything they touch turns to shit.

[Trekkie313]

Originally Posted by Maximus

You have it the wrong way around. Vivendi (owners of Blizzard) bought Activision. Activision have one mega IP, CoD, that is it. Once that is done (and it will, make no mistake) they have nothing left. They killed Guitar Hero, Tony Hawk, Bizarre, James Bond, everything they touch turns to shit.

Guitar Hero is still good for me at least, unlike Rock Band which I hate.

[AikonEnt]

Originally Posted by Maximus

As soon as Call of Duty dies Activision will be finished. I will celebrate when that day comes.

Amen to that.

Didn't they do Metropolis Street Racer on the Dreamcast which turned into Project Gotham on the Xbox. Excellent games back in the day.

[Septimus Prime]

From what I've heard, Activision still retains the Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon IPs. I'm sure those will come out to be milked at some point in the future.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by Trekkie313

Guitar Hero is still good for me at least, unlike Rock Band which I hate.

The rhythm genre is dead now. The latest figures are pretty dire, GH sold less than 300k across all platforms WW in its first month and Neversoft have been shitbinned already.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by Septimus Prime

From what I've heard, Activision still retains the Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon IPs. I'm sure those will come out to be milked at some point in the future.

Dead already, they tried Spyro recently but the attempt was so awful that it couldn't even sell on nostalgia.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by AikonEnt

Amen to that.

Didn't they do Metropolis Street Racer on the Dreamcast which turned into Project Gotham on the Xbox. Excellent games back in the day.

Yes and yes. PGR2 is still one of my favourite racing games.

[Icemage]

Originally Posted by Maximus

So a rumour going around that since 007 bombed Bizarre Creations have been closed down.

Sad times for everyone involved and I hope everyone lands on their feet.

Also Activision prove themselves to be the short term bastards we all knew they were. I can only hope that people tell them where to go with their wallets, but that is, I fear hoping for too much. I am happy that Bungie didn't go into a full ownership agreement and only a publishing deal for 5 games. As soon as Call of Duty dies Activision will be finished. I will celebrate when that day comes.

Have I told you lately how much I love you, Max?

For what it's worth, I've been actively boycotting all Activision products for the last year (Modern Warfare 2 was the last game from them I purchased; I skipped Starcraft II despite my love for Blizzard, I skipped Guitar Hero Warriors of Rock despite my love of rhythm games, and I definitely skipped Black Ops, etc.).

[Nerdkiller likes BD]

Well if this is true, then I hope they reform into a new studio, buy back the Blur IP from Acti and hope that MS (who are currently seeking a dev to make PGR5) chooses them for development. As for Activision...I was tolerant with their drop on certain IP's when they merged...I was tolerant on their need for a new CoD and Guitar Hero every year...I was tolerant on their firings of those 2 dudes from IW...but this takes the cake, no doubt. And don't think that CoD will actually be going away. Because sheeple will buy anything, as long as they think its a totally brand new game, when its just a reskinned version of their previous game.

[Trace17]

That sucks. Blur was awesome and I was going to try Bloodstone eventually down the road.

FU Activision. More reason to hate.

And cod isn't going away anytime soon.

[Maximus]

About CoD not going away. People said the same thing about Tony Hawk and Guitar Hero, but Bobby Kotick and Activision have a proved ability to ruin franchises and milk them to death.



Love PA, always so right!

[Rike255]

Originally Posted by Maximus

About CoD not going away. People said the same thing about Tony Hawk and Guitar Hero, but Bobby Kotick and Activision have a proved ability to ruin franchises and milk them to death.



Love PA, always so right!

Lol awesome

[Nerdkiller likes BD]

I still think CoD won't be going away. I mean, look at Black Ops. The biggest launch ever in the series. Like I said, just reskin the game, promote it like crazy and the people will come. FPS's on consoles have been the big thing since Halo 2 launched in 2004 and have yet to die down, even in a recession. I mean, look at games like Madden. EA's had it since the very early 90's and is that dead? Hell no. Trust me, even if people begin to see the same thing under CoD's new lick of paint, it'll still sell in the millions.

[Chiyo_chichi]

I don't think I (planned to) own any Bizarre Creations games, but I feel bad for all the staff being let go. Thats a real *****.

Especially under the circumstances for its happening.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by Nerdkiller likes BD

I still think CoD won't be going away. I mean, look at Black Ops. The biggest launch ever in the series. Like I said, just reskin the game, promote it like crazy and the people will come. FPS's on consoles have been the big thing since Halo 2 launched in 2004 and have yet to die down, even in a recession. I mean, look at games like Madden. EA's had it since the very early 90's and is that dead? Hell no. Trust me, even if people begin to see the same thing under CoD's new lick of paint, it'll still sell in the millions.

The problem for Activision is that their business model is based on selling 15m+ copies of CoD per year to make a profit (without Blizzard). Once people realise that the annual CoD is just a lick of paint like we already know then even if the sales decrease to 5m their business model starts to look shaky. You are also making the assumption that Activision will only release one CoD title per year, they will not, it will be around 2 per year from 2012 and then people really will begin to tire.

[Nerdkiller likes BD]

Originally Posted by Maximus

The problem for Activision is that their business model is based on selling 15m+ copies of CoD per year to make a profit (without Blizzard). Once people realise that the annual CoD is just a lick of paint like we already know then even if the sales decrease to 5m their business model starts to look shaky. You are also making the assumption that Activision will only release one CoD title per year, they will not, it will be around 2 per year from 2012 and then people really will begin to tire.

Yeah, you're right. That'll be where people draw the line. I mean, Why else do you think Guitar Hero is failing? 17 titles within the past 5 years (including DJ and Band Hero). Same reason as to why no one cares about Dance Dance Revolution anymore. But like you said, once CoD goes multiple titles per year, then thats when they draw the line. Probably the same with the rumored subscription service.

[Maximus]

Yeah, the problem is that the idiots at Activision think they will automatically sell another 15m copies for each CoD they release, they thought that with Tony Hawk and the Hero games and they are about to do the same for CoD (three developers on a single franchise FFS!) and it the inevitable downfall will come.

Activision have been lucky that each time they milked a franchise to death another has come along to replace it. Unless Bungie really hit one out of the park it won't happen this time...