IronLore Closes

Lee3dee · Feb 2008

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=17661

did a few of you guys work there? Sad day

Gav · Feb 2008

That is awful, very sorry to hear it.

blankslatejoe · Feb 2008

yeah, its really sad. me, joshsingh, eric22, tarwater and bobo used to work there. Tokidokizenzen, modelingman, sectaurs and beaner worked there up until close. It was a great studio, and it sounds like brian, paul and jeff (the execs) are doing whatever they can to get everyone placed with new jobs.

Joseph Silverman · Feb 2008

Sad to hear it. Best of luck to everyone who worked there, although i doubt any of you guys will have a hard time finding somewhere new to work.

Mark Dygert · Feb 2008

Thats really depressing news. I hope everyone made it out ok.

Hopefully this isn't the tip of the iceberg, what with the economy tanking...

Hito · Feb 2008

sad news indeed. Hope those affected find new homes quickly.

Eric Chadwick · Feb 2008

Oh Noes! Another Boston-area studio gone.

Damn.

IronHawk · Feb 2008

Bummer.. best of luck for those affected finding new jobs.

Joshua Stubbles · Feb 2008

That's very unfortunate. I thought the studio was doing well

Hope everyone who lost their employment find solid jobs soon.

killingpeople · Feb 2008

It's been 5 months since leaving Iron Lore. I can't speak enough good things about the people there. I wish all of them the best, they are a fucking badass group of developers. RIP ILE.

gauss · Feb 2008

best of luck to everyone. iron lore sure as hell was a nexus for some seriously talented folks (and polycounters), and i'm sure we'll remember it as such. happy hunting for those that haven't already found a new position.

blankslatejoe · Feb 2008

whoops! how could I have forgotten KP in my list of ILE polycounters??!! Sorry cory.

Jeff Parrott · Feb 2008

That stinks. Hopefully everyone will land on their feet.

JDinges · Feb 2008

That really sucks =/

Good luck to everyone trying to find a new home.

Jesse Moody · Feb 2008

Damn THQ places are down left and right. Concrete Games in San Diego and now Iron Lore...

Hope you guys can find new homes quickly. I know Midway is still looking.

Spark · Feb 2008

Yeah was just going to post this and give my regrets to those that worked there. Great talent and great games you guys produced and hope the best for all involved.

Spark

Slum · Feb 2008

Wow, that sucks guys. I was hoping for a new Titan Quest. There was a lot of awesome talent there, hopefully everything works out for all of you.

Anyone who is out of a job, feel free to send me a PM and I'll get your info to our recruiter ASAP.

MoP · Feb 2008

That's very unfortunate. Winner of Best New Studio, and now having to close... sucks.

If anyone from IL is looking for places outside the USA, Splash Damage are currently hiring for a variety of positions.

BoBo_the_seal · Feb 2008

They have a lot of great guys there. Really hate seeing this. Working there was one of the best experiences Ive had in this industry.

- BoBo

moose · Feb 2008

[ QUOTE ]
whoops! how could I have forgotten KP in my list of ILE polycounters??!! Sorry cory.

[/ QUOTE ]

and Malekyth too! joefails!

Sad news, good luck to yall, Soulstorm was lookin cool!

blankslatejoe · Feb 2008

no kidding! Who knows who else I missed?!

Joao Sapiro · Feb 2008

Damn

this stuff really is sad...best of wishes for you guys !!!

ebagg · Feb 2008

Was Iron Lore owned by THQ!? That'd be the second THQ developer shutting down in the past two monthes! Not good.

I hope all the folks there bounce into new jobs quickly, the work coming out of that studio was top notch.

flaagan · Feb 2008

Cryptic's always looking for more artists....

sinistergfx · Feb 2008

AFAIK, they were only published by THQ; not owned.

HonkyPunch · Feb 2008

Yet another step closer to EA owning everything in game development.

rooster · Feb 2008

SHEPEIRO · Feb 2008

shucks it sounded so good there

Tulkamir · Feb 2008

Damn, sorry to hear about this. Really liked Titan Quest and there was a lot of talent at that studio. Good luck to everyone who was working there.

Steve Schulze · Feb 2008

Sorry to hear that, guys. I'm sure none of you will have any problems finding new positions though, you're all such talented bastards.

This is pretty surprising. Didn't Titan Quest sell really well?

Sean McBride · Feb 2008

sad... i enjoyed titan quest! Sorry to hear the company fizzled.

Good luck to whoever was working there.

sinistergfx · Feb 2008

Jimmies: wtf does ea have to do with this at all?

Joseph Silverman · Feb 2008

sinister, don't encourage him.

cochtl · Feb 2008

Some insight into ILE's unfortunate demise

Mark Dygert · Feb 2008

He brings up some really good points.

"So, before the game even comes out, we've got people bad-mouthing it because their pirated copies crash, even though a legitimate copy won't." "...Think about that the next time you read "we didn't have any problems running the game, but there are reports on the internet that people are having crashes."

Here's an idea, when the game crashes because of a planned security check, tell the MF'er in big bold print to "go buy the game and the crash won't happen". PR nightmare solved, however now hackers know where your security checks are and it might make them easier to "patch". I see why everyone is bailing out of the PC market...

ok sorry to derail the thread...

Tulkamir · Feb 2008

cochtl, great read man, thanks for posting. I'd be interesting to know how much that stuff lead to the closure of IL.

Gotta say, I find it disgusting how much piracy is happening.

I'm also really hoping that this new PC Gaming Coalition can make some changes to the way things are done, maybe fix some shit. The way things are going now it seems that if the Pirates don't kill PC gaming it'll be the hardware. :P

Anyways, sorry to derail the thread more. I think I'm gonna play some TQ when I get home.

AstroZombie · Feb 2008

Condolences, guys. Titan Quest was a great game; shame Iron Lore could not secure funding for their next project.

Xenobond · Feb 2008

Heard about this earlier. I'm gonna install Titan Quest and play me some.

crap!
CD version..... 5-disc shuffle boogie go!!

skankerzero · Feb 2008

damn, that sucks. sorry to hear.

I'll help out anyone from there that's looking for a job.

PM me your info, especially environment artists.

Snowfly · Feb 2008

Whoa, didn't see this coming. I just bought TQ Gold over Steam a couple of weeks ago. Beautiful game...and I've grown a soft spot for Iron Lore. Very sad news.

Geezus · Feb 2008

Well damn guys, I'm really sorry to hear about this. My girl and I picked up TQ when it came out, and TQ:IT also. We're constantly looking for solid co-op experiences...and you guys definitely delivered. Michael's PC Game Dev Venting really put me in a downer. It's sickening what pirating is doing to PC Game Dev. You're all damn talented artists, and I'm sure you'll easily find work...it's just a shame you have to leave, what I'm sure has become, your family there at ILE.

TomDunne · Feb 2008

Man, I hate reading stories like this, and especially the issues mentioned in cochtl's link. As much as I love games and making art for them, I just wouldn't have the temperament to make a career of it. Do your job well, produce a quality product, make a profit and you still might have to pack up the family and move around the country to chase a new job? That shit just drives me crazy.

hawken · Feb 2008

my condolences. I'm sure you'll all do fine though!

Titan Quest was great? I'm not seeking the un-popular vote or being devils advocate here, but anyone who can ignore the terrible animation, hilarious collision detection and lame hack and slash repetitive gameplay is just doing lip service to the guys here who might have made it.

Joseph Silverman · Feb 2008

Titan quest was great, yeah. Also was scored quite respectably by reviews:
http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/titanquest

Wells · Feb 2008

thanks dudes.;

means a lot. we're drinking our weos away before we scatter to the four winds. was a great ride and i'd hug everyone here at the same time if i had gamma-powered arms

AstroZombie · Feb 2008

[ QUOTE ]
Titan Quest was great? I'm not seeking the un-popular vote or being devils advocate here, but anyone who can ignore the terrible animation, hilarious collision detection and lame hack and slash repetitive gameplay is just doing lip service to the guys here who might have made it.

[/ QUOTE ]

OMG you are right, Hawken. Fuck what I said earlier that game sucked!!! Your lay-offs are well deserved, guys!

hawken · Feb 2008

Heh. I'm only talking about the game from the videos I saw.

As RPG's go, I'm sure it's challenging, immersive and well thought out.

Honestly I do feel for those guys losing their jobs, but was Titan Quest really all that great?

Tulkamir · Feb 2008

[ QUOTE ]
Titan Quest was great? I'm not seeking the un-popular vote or being devils advocate here, but anyone who can ignore the terrible animation, hilarious collision detection and lame hack and slash repetitive gameplay is just doing lip service to the guys here who might have made it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Or... we're just not pretentious assholes and can look past a few minor problems (which weren't really that bad to my recollection) and still enjoy a well made, fun game.

Joseph Silverman · Feb 2008

[ QUOTE ]
but was Titan Quest really all that great?

[/ QUOTE ]

It was an incredibly good 'diablo clone' action rpg. If you like them, it's awesome, if not i guess i can see why it would look boring.

JDinges · Feb 2008

Does it really matter? Some people loved it, some didn't. Just like any other game...

Drop me an email if any of you ex-IronLore guys are interested in Raven.

AstroZombie · Feb 2008

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Titan Quest was great? I'm not seeking the un-popular vote or being devils advocate here, but anyone who can ignore the terrible animation, hilarious collision detection and lame hack and slash repetitive gameplay is just doing lip service to the guys here who might have made it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Or... we're just not pretentious assholes and can look past a few minor problems (which weren't really that bad to my recollection) and still enjoy a well made, fun game.

[/ QUOTE ]

We also may have reserved passing judgement on it until we had actually fucking played it.

Numerous good reviews ... "Best New Studio" at GDC 2007 ... but hell, Hawken, don't let that keep you from kicking people while they are down based on a few videos you saw.

IronLore Closes

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