Activision closes the doors on Bizarre Creations.
polycounter lvl 12
Major bummer today to our fellow brethren as Activision shuts down Bizarre Creation.
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/32519/Activision_Moves_To_Close_Bizarre_Creations.php
They did the Project Gotham Racing games, Blur and more recently a James Bond game. Hopefully they will find work soon.
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/32519/Activision_Moves_To_Close_Bizarre_Creations.php
They did the Project Gotham Racing games, Blur and more recently a James Bond game. Hopefully they will find work soon.
Replies
...Why do you only ever hear bad news from Activision?
Ever since Kotick took over, it seems that way. It's really sad, seeing as Activision was started by people who left Atari because they didn't like the way they were being exploited. Now it seems, they've become what they tried to get away from. They buy up blockbuster development teams, pump them for everything they're worth, and finally dump them when they no longer are capable of making huge gobs of money. Though I doubt many, if any, of the original members are even still there.:poly141:
That's business. You make an investment and then you expect to see a return on that investment. If at some point your investment stops making money you get out.
Why does Activision always catch hell for running a business?
I hope those guys can find themselves back on the horse soon enough. They did really good work.
Because it feels like publishers are letting talented developers go just because they stumbled, by stomping on their hands until they let go and fall, When they instead could give them a hand so they could get up and continue making cash for the publisher.
Every developer will have its bad day, even the best ones.
People hate them because Activision tends to push out tons of yearly sequels, and ditch the studio once its milked it for all its worth.
qft.
/* rant
No matter if it's a business or not, the only way you make more money besides sequels is going out on a limb, experimenting and trying something new. They make enough off from their COD franchise to sustain a few losses here and there. Didn't the new COD title sell like 7 million on it's first week or something? Go ahead and line your pockets a little bit thicker Kotick. Don't think we don't realize who's driving the machine.
*/ rant over
Sorry to hear about this and hope everyone lands on there feet quickly.
Now just to play devils advocate Activision dose try new things/projects.
Off the top of my head for the last 2 years they published...
James Bond, Blood Stone
Blur
Tony Hawk Ride
Prototype
Singularity
Wolfenstien
DJ Hero (yes a music game but diffrent enough from guitar hero its worth noting)
None of them movie tie ins, call of duty, something done by blizzard and guitar hero.
All these games beyond maybe DJ Hero were not a huge commercial success. Seems for Raven and BC that they both had 2 games that were not very successful and Activison thought after 2 attempts to cut its losses.
I think it sucks really bad and I don't like Activision but I can see why.
/sarcasm.
But with 2 consecutive duds on Activisions short leash, it wasn't surprising.