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EA has officially closed Need for Speed Studio BlackBox

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Black box, the studio responsible for the Need for Speed and Skate franchises has officially been given the chop. EA has said in a press release
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slicegaming.com
Alternative Sources:
VideoGamer: Confirmed: EA C... - videogamer.com | By: psman012
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Published: 325 days 14 hours ago | News | PlayStation 3 | Xbox 360 | Sony PSP | Nintendo DS | PC | Industry News
 
 

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- Ghost of Sparta - - 325 days 14 hours ago
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Well it's about time. Sucks for Skate though.
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micro_invader - 325 days 13 hours ago
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1.1 -
Hopefully they continue with the Skate franchise, maybe they'll assign it to a different studio.
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WANNA GET HIGH - 325 days 13 hours ago
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1.2 -
Looks like burnout and midnight club LA are the king of street racing now But U have to give props to need for speed,yes the latest sucked but they have giving us classic back in the day.

I take my hat of for the death of need for speed.R.I.P :'(
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Danja - 325 days 11 hours ago
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1.3 - BlackBox game studios has been closed down but
the NFS franchise wont be cancelled , EA has already stated that Criterion will be making the next NFS game...plus they have 2 other internal studios that will be working on the franchise also...on a yearly basis.
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Rock Bottom - 325 days 10 hours ago
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1.4 - Nice
One less EA internal Studio = Less franchise whoring.
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gaminoz - 325 days 8 hours ago
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1.5 -
There are way too many open-world racers set in the USA already. Burnout now going that way too just makes it too crowded. Plus releasing a game a year is bound to bore even the most avid Need For Speed fan.
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paul-p1988 - 322 days 17 hours ago
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1.6 -
i really hope Skate 2 is/gets finished, i was really looking forward to that, i loved the original
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rucky - 325 days 14 hours ago
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OMG they totally ruined the franchise. Nice going EA! >:(
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Elven6 - 325 days 14 hours ago
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2.1 -
This is why the system needs to change, publishers ask their developers to meet strict and times unthinkable deadlines which the developers are not able to meet. The game then gets reviewed horribly or sells like crap and the publisher ends up blaming the developer almost always putting them higher up on the chopping block list. Eidos did this with Core Design (The Company that put Eidos on the map mind you) and Tomb Raider, EA did this without a few studios as well, etc

Thinks really need to change!
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MegaMohsi - 325 days 13 hours ago
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2.2 -
They published games such as Crysis/Warhead and Battlefield Bad Company and in no way rushed their development. Maybe these developers just sucked?
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Elven6 - 325 days 13 hours ago
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Aside from DICE none of those were EA owned studios, how do you know it was not rushed? Also consider those aren't yearly franchises either.
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locos85 - 325 days 14 hours ago
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So is Skate 2 being passed on or Cancelled???
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Rich1631 - 325 days 14 hours ago
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3.1 -
It will be released, likely it was complete. It was only a month away and games go gold by then. Just don't expect any support/patches or DLC.
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goflyakite - 325 days 13 hours ago
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3.2 -
Dammit, I totally forgot that BlackBox did Skate.
That really sucks.
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mjones1994 - 325 days 14 hours ago
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Thank god for this crap seris to end.
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Austin_SJ - 325 days 13 hours ago
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5 - Games Industry = Crunch proof???
I think not, although I wasn't the biggest fan this is still bad news.
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y0haN - 325 days 13 hours ago
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Screw buying Skate 2 then. Screw EA.
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thematrix1298 - 325 days 13 hours ago
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good move...I mean they can invest on better studio...latest NFS sucked so bad, I won't even take it for free.
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mjones1994 - 325 days 13 hours ago
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i haven't brough a EA game for a while apart from dead space.
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SAiOSiN - 325 days 13 hours ago
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i hope skate 2 wasn't canned. well nfs needed to die after underground 2 came out.
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sugatmahanti - 325 days 13 hours ago
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sad...They created a good franchise...nfs porche nfs hot pursuit....and most wanted were good games...they could have done so much...but they didnt....nw they paid the price for ruining the series....
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Jenzo - 325 days 13 hours ago
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Thx EA! Good decision.
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MegaMohsi - 325 days 13 hours ago
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11.1 -
One of the few times I have to agree with you!
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Jenzo - 325 days 13 hours ago
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11.2 -
IMO they haven't made any good games since NFS Underground 2.
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SuperM - 325 days 6 hours ago
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11.3 -
Actually the reason NFS sucks is because they dont get enough time to make the game. Guess who's fault that is? EA... Black box also make Skate, so they are obviously not a crap developer.
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mjones1994 - 325 days 13 hours ago
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Bubbles for all who hate the NFS seris
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Swarm - 325 days 13 hours ago
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13 -
Sucks that a Canadian developer as big as Blackbox is shutting down (even if they are owned by EA). Should be interesting to see what happens to EA Canada as a whole.
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RainOfTerror - 325 days 13 hours ago
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14 -
They arent "closing" Black Box, but moving the people and the IP/franchises to a different location, so basically they are relocating the studio, probably to save $ on running different developers that are within throwing distance or something.
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spirited - 325 days 13 hours ago
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15 -
what were the sale numbers of this game? if poor compared to previous then reviews count a lottttt
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Sevir04 - 325 days 13 hours ago
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16 - Too bad for Skate 2 but they will probably just shuffle the team around to another developer.
still i am very happy that they closed them down. The need for speed series needs to die a terrible death. and while i loved skate, Skate too was looking less impressive than skate 1, so we shall see.

but NFS is done and over with.. Lets see if MS is gonna put Rare up to the chopping block.

they just chopped Ensemble studios

NFS for the Loss.

Still this just goes to show that this ressession is hitting everywhere hard. Even publishing giants like EA has to drop people and close down studios. I'm sure Ubisoft is about to do that next.

Free Rad just closed down. which sucks. The gaming industry isn't immune to this ressession
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Another One - 325 days 12 hours ago
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16.1 - Seriously?
Skate 2 wasn't looking as impressive as Skate? You have got to be kidding. Even though I hate EA, the dudes at Blackbox are cool as hell. Some of the nicest and most community oriented devs there are. (Them and Bungie) It's a shame for those guys.
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emazzuca - 325 days 13 hours ago
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Skate 2 is practically done,

There is no way they are canning it.
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enkeixpress - 325 days 13 hours ago
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18 - Need for speed has not ended..
There was rumour a couple of days ago on here about how EA was going to shut down EA Blackbox.. and then pass the NFS series onto a better team of developers in their company.

So there ya go, Need For Speed lives on!!

Sooo, Whats happening with that NFS Undercover patch, we still going to get that or what?? lol
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tristanmike - 325 days 13 hours ago
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19 - I wouldn't know how either of those titles are...
As I don't buy EA games. This is what EA gets for screwing with great franchises and on another note, why they don't deserve TakeTwo.

I really hope the message is getting to EA that, we the fans, are not happy with them.
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MegaMohsi - 325 days 13 hours ago
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Dead Space, Madden 09, NHL 09 all have been solid this year and so were last years versions, it's all about the quality of the dev's.NFS hasn't been good since god knows when
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mt - 325 days 12 hours ago
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21 - ...
good for NFS
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heyheyhey - 325 days 12 hours ago
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22 -
i doubt this means NFS is gone... the franchise still sells bucketloads
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mjones1994 - 325 days 12 hours ago
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23 -
Midnight club owns NFS so why would people still buy it.
Maybe on the ps2 i could understand but on ps3 and 360 it's a no no.
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ps34ever - 325 days 12 hours ago
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24 -
that sucks I love need for speed the last one was my fav.
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Little_prince - 325 days 12 hours ago
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25 - ah
oh i think We must say goodbye to NFS !
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enkeixpress - 325 days 12 hours ago
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26 - READ THIS COMMENT!!!
What the hell is wrong with you people!?!?

The Need for speed franchise is not finished. The franchise is being moved to a set of better devs located in EA's company building..

Alright?? So shuddup about saying goodbye to NFS and whatnot!! It's ridiculous.

EA would never give up such a franchise like that, You should all know that by now! This is old news!!
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DJ - 325 days 11 hours ago
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27 - =[
....
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BrianC6234 - 325 days 11 hours ago
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28 -
As long as EA leaves Criterion Games alone I don't care. That's the only game from EA I really care about, Burnout. EA has been burning people out on their games for years. You don't have to release a new version of every game every year.
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nchizimbi - 325 days 11 hours ago
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29 - Give Developers More Time
NEED FOR SPEED is a good franchise, but it was getting stale with each new release after MOST WANTED. Electronic Arts has failed the franchise due to the nature of developing and releasing in a short period of time.
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mrkeith - 325 days 10 hours ago
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dammit that sucks about skate. even if they give it to another studio its going to suck. the guys making Skate right now all got a passion for skateboarding. hopefully the game dont get canceled.
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AriesFury - 325 days 10 hours ago
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Sad, but it's a sign of the times right now.
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mrkeith - 325 days 9 hours ago
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the skate team is moving to a different building (thats it). thank god thats all. the NFS team not so lucky. they will also be renaming there company when they move.
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TIKUP - 325 days 9 hours ago
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NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO what about skate 2??? Think of the games EA
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34 Iceman100 | 325 days 3 hours ago - User only got 1 bubble - Show
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Xman1231 - 325 days 2 hours ago
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people need to stop saying skate 2 is not coming out they already annoced the release date and NFS Series is not done either there still coming out with a new NFS game but they did not name it yet like what people said there just moving the Devlopers to a new location i just hope the keep all the devlopers together so you guys saying goodbye stop it.
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