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.

[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.

[kingofgrills]

Originally Posted by Trekkie313

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

You better buy a few extra copies of the latest Guitar Hero game then. So far it has only sold 300,000 total copies across all platforms. By music game standards (and Activision's) that's failure.

I'm saddened to hear Bizarre Creations has closed its doors. I've been a big fan of theirs since they first released Metropolis Street Racer on Dreamcast, which evolved into Project Gotham Racing on XBox.

[Terjyn]

Originally Posted by Trekkie313

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

You hate Rock Band...why? Because squares are inferior to gems?

I've seen a lot of the people hating GH, because Rock Band's creators should own Guitar Hero but Activision bought the name without the talent, but I can't say as though I've ever seen the reverse.

[PA_Kid]

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.

To be fair, High Moon made a pretty good game with War for Cybertron. It started with Activision and it was good. Maybe that's more to do with High Moon and Hasbro than Activision or maybe it'sthe exception that proves the rule, but not everything they touch turns to shit.

That said, I'd still dance a jig if someone shut 'em down or they had a regime change.

[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 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.

[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!

[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.).

[Psx0005]

Originally Posted by Icemage

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.).

Funny, you and I have followed the same path in our boycotting of Activision. MW2 was my last CoD, GH I've avoided all together (RB all the way!). Now if/when Diablo 3 comes out, I'll be hard-pressed to continue my boycott unless D3 is botched that bad.

[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.

[cajmoyper]

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.

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.

How can you say that you're sad about a couple of non-Activision developers close down and then not only wish that all those people making CoD would lose their jobs but celebrate when they do?!?!