The administrators responsible for selling off the remnants of Free Radical have confirmed to GamesIndustry.biz that Crytek's rumored acquisition of the company has gone ahead. Cameron Gunn of ReSolve Partners stated that "a sale completed to Crytek late last night thus preserving over 40 jobs."
While many gaming layoffs are cruel, Tango Gameworks being culled after Hi-Fi Rush doesn't even make sense.
Good read. I think the point is important. Cuz the message it sends is, make a bad game? Well shut you down. Make a good game? We still might shut you down. How the fuck are you supposed to feel any sense of job security under those conditions. The level of core incompetence at play in the upper levels of this industry is staggering. This is common sense shit. You can’t chase trends on a 2 year cycle when games take fucking 6-8 years to make. Just let artists fucking art for gods sake. They don’t understand the basic principle that they’re all haggling for the same slice of fucking pie and the market will not bear it. Find a different fucking pie.
"The sudden closure of several video-game studios at Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox division was the result of a widespread cost-cutting initiative that still isn’t finished.
This week, Xbox began offering voluntary severance agreements to producers, quality assurance testers and other staff at ZeniMax, which it purchased in 2020 for $7.5 billion, according to people familiar with the company’s plans. Others across the Xbox organization have been told that more cuts are on the way.
Speaking about the closures more broadly, Booty said that the company’s studios had been spread too thin — like “peanut butter on bread” — and that leaders across the division had felt understaffed. They decided to close these studios to free up resources elsewhere, he said.
Game Pass has not seen the massive growth that Xbox boss Phil Spencer may have been hoping for."
"Speaking about the closures more broadly, Booty said that the company’s studios had been spread too thin — like “peanut butter on bread” — and that leaders across the division had felt understaffed. They decided to close these studios to free up resources elsewhere, he said"
So what you're saying is...you bought all these studios and you guys can't run them.
Jesus.
Reports are suggesting that Game Pass will be getting a price hike soon and that Call of Duty may not be added to the day one offering. I honestly have a hard time believing this but it does beg the question why exactly did GP fail? I think the answer is that it just didn't get the growth that it anticipated. Jim was right but I wish he wasn't because at the end of the day, its gamers, devs and other front-line workers who have to absorb the blow for Spencer and team's miscalculations.
For all the armchair executives who were calling for Sony to release its big-budget AAA games on PS+, the same exact thing would have happened at PlayStation. Game Pass has killed Xbox. Congrats.
"While the 20 year anniversary edition of Nordic Game, NG24 Spring's homepage on 21-24 May in Malmö, Sweden, is getting closer, the organizers announced that more than 150 speakers are now lined up for the show." - Nordic Game.
Excellent news in these times.
yes that is brilliant news to hear but i am wondering how much crytek bought them for??
No more goverment cheese for them.
good for you radical.. their small staff and publisher might have been their problem all along.
this might breath new life into the company.
___
also this is good news for the ps3. crytek wants to make a move to consoles (or at least add it to their platforms they develope for.
free radical did not make a bad game for the ps3 with haze. it was just late and outdated by the time it arrived.
this means future games if left in charge to free radical or on an advisory level will work just fine.
TIMESPLITTERS 4 IS BACK ON YEAH BABY!!!!!!
man that's a relief, Timesplitters 4 is potentially my most anticipated shooter this year (sorry KZ2 =D)
can't wait to see what comes of this merger of epic proportions.... both are excellent shooter devs
@thor
man i knew someone would rush to this article screaming "HAZE LOL!!!!!!!"... Haze sucked because of Ubisoft, not Free Radical.. who remain top notch shooter devs
remember, these guys made Goldeneye and Perfect Dark... i trust you understand what this means
oh and Timesplitters > Halo
man can you imagine TS4 running on CryEngine 2.. sweet jesus