Trauma Studios is getting shutdown
polycounter lvl 18
one of the few devs in NYC got shut down 
DICE To Close New York Office
Officials from Digital Illusions CE (DICE) have confirmed that the company is to close its New York office, which houses the recently acquired Trauma Studios.
Trauma was purchased in September 2004, after gaining acclaim for its Desert Combat modification for DICEs Battlefield 1942 multiplayer PC title. At that time, the acquisition sum of $500,000 was agreed, with $300,000 being paid upfront and the remaining $200,000 due as a supplemental payment in 2006. This sum will not now be paid, although DICE will make a default payment of 1.3m Swedish Kronor ($0.17m) in the second quarter of this year.
DICE would not give any specific reasons for the closure, saying only that the conditions and the future plans of the company now differ considerably from last September - it's likely that this refers to the controlling interest that publisher Electronic Arts now has in the company. All twelve Trauma employees will be offered employment at DICEs head office in Stockholm.
CEO Patrick Söderlund has indicated that the main focus of growth will now be on the companys Swedish operations, although the companys remaining Canadian office will continue to function as a satellite studio working on new game concepts and expansion packs using existing technology developed in Sweden.
The company also announced that it will continue to outsource elementary graphic services to companies in Eastern European countries such as the Ukraine, in order to take advantage of cheaper labor costs.
http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=5653
DICE To Close New York Office
Officials from Digital Illusions CE (DICE) have confirmed that the company is to close its New York office, which houses the recently acquired Trauma Studios.
Trauma was purchased in September 2004, after gaining acclaim for its Desert Combat modification for DICEs Battlefield 1942 multiplayer PC title. At that time, the acquisition sum of $500,000 was agreed, with $300,000 being paid upfront and the remaining $200,000 due as a supplemental payment in 2006. This sum will not now be paid, although DICE will make a default payment of 1.3m Swedish Kronor ($0.17m) in the second quarter of this year.
DICE would not give any specific reasons for the closure, saying only that the conditions and the future plans of the company now differ considerably from last September - it's likely that this refers to the controlling interest that publisher Electronic Arts now has in the company. All twelve Trauma employees will be offered employment at DICEs head office in Stockholm.
CEO Patrick Söderlund has indicated that the main focus of growth will now be on the companys Swedish operations, although the companys remaining Canadian office will continue to function as a satellite studio working on new game concepts and expansion packs using existing technology developed in Sweden.
The company also announced that it will continue to outsource elementary graphic services to companies in Eastern European countries such as the Ukraine, in order to take advantage of cheaper labor costs.
http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=5653
Replies
http://www.gamecloud.com/article.php?article_id=240
As for buying the rights to DC.. I don't get why, as they're not making another DC title.. right?
just feel sorry for the poor bastards that never got a chance to make there mark.
john
Clever, but its unfortunate to have their hopes given up so fast like that.
So did DICE just buy them to acquire the rights to Desert Combat? I don't understand why they would buy a studio in New York just to close it down less than a year later(?)
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to kill any potential franchise competition perhaps. This is a fairly common business practise.
just feel sorry for the poor bastards that never got a chance to make there mark.
john
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I'd disagree there, Desert Combat was/is just as popular as CounterStrike is.
Scott
Scott
/jzero
Stories about what's going on where Scott? I'm not defending EA, but rumours tend to be bs most of the time. Like the big article on Gamespot last week that suggested we were all about to get shipped off to Florida. Fun, but utter nonsense Im afraid. EA jeapordising 2 major titles planned to ship at thanksgiving? I dont think so somehow.
Man, what happened to all the good news.
i wouldn't exactly feel sad in such a situation. except if i was an employee...
Have any of you actually been screwed over by EA? How about even work in the industry at all? Or have you just noticed it's a nice trend to hate on EA whenever possible?
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I haven't.
Still trying.
Trend? I don't think the people posting here are riding a bandwagon. I think they've seen whats be talked about on websites and drawn their own conclusions. Much like you and I have. At least, I hope so anyway. I agree with you 100% though that it isn't neccessary to "boo EA" whenever something like this happens, even with their history.
To keep this on topic I feel sorry for the fellas at Trauma. I would hate to feel asthough my dream has come true just to hit a wall like that 9 months in.
Best wishes to them.
my hate is a very precious thing and i reserve it for those who tuely earn it
also
"All twelve Trauma employees will be offered employment at DICEs head office in Stockholm."
i dont feel sorry for these guys,imagine someone said to you by the way you lose your job, but we will give you a job in sweden,by the way did i mention swedens number 1 export is hot swedish blonde nordic girls??
I mean, what bothers me more is the other part of the message: "DICE will continue to outsource elementary graphics services to eastern european countries".Everybody talks about outsourcing to cheaper countries, DICE implements it.
http://www.und.nodak.edu/org/undcheer/Coed/FB%20SWEDISH.JPG
Typical Curent EA. I have a few stories about what's going on there now, and it'snot good, especially for PC development. the basic thing is that there was a reshuffle of senior management, a reorganization and bloodbath amont middle management, and the result is, that there will be no third party decvelopment of PC titles by E.A.
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All I can say, from first hand experience, is that GPG ended their contract with EA, for a PC game. I can't say that was the specific reason we're no longer working with them, but the evidence points in that direction.
Not that I care one way or the other because the game itself wasn't cancelled.