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General: Big Huge & 38 Studios Each Lay Off Staff

SBFordSBFord Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129

Joystiq is reporting that both Big Huge Studios and 38 Studios have each laid off their entire staff. Last week, it was reported that 38 Studios had been unable to pay their staff salaries in order to repay a government loan. Joystiq is quoting a "source with knowledge of the situation". 38 Studios is the developer of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning.

We'll keep you posted.

Image courtesy of Kotaku

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Comments

  • kishekishe Member UncommonPosts: 2,012

    Guess name of RA salvatore alone doesnt save you when you game is just a shoddy Fable3 copy.

  • Laughing-manLaughing-man Member RarePosts: 3,654
    Originally posted by kishe

    Guess name of RA salvatore alone doesnt save you when you game is just a shoddy Fable3 copy.

    Fable 3 was wretched, even fans of the series loath it as uninteresting trash.

    Kingdoms of Amalur was a great game, too bad too many narrow minded people looked at a books cover and never bothered to open it.

  • QSatuQSatu Member UncommonPosts: 1,795

    I had a feeling the studio won;t exist 6 months down the road but I didn't expect to see it that fast. Still kind of sad for all those people who lost jobs. At least maybe some of them will find new job at Turbine.

    And lol at people who were screaming how amazing games 38 will produce b/c they have only famous writers/producers/whatever.

  • pyrofreakpyrofreak Member UncommonPosts: 1,481

    Big Huge made Rise of Nations, and for that the earned respect. Everything after the expansion pack for that game, however, was average.

    Now with 57.3% more flames!

  • SorrowSorrow Member Posts: 1,195

    Guess all these laid off game developers will have to go back to being the fry guys at McDonalds again pitty.

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  • AmbassadorDvinnAmbassadorDvinn Member UncommonPosts: 339

     

    38Studios, I had a lot of faith that you would restore a lot of what the MMORPG genre was missing.. 

     

    ...damn.

    Serious death penalties makes every close call an adrenaline rush, and every minor achievement a major victory. This alternative rule-set should be in all MMORPGs.

  • NightCloakNightCloak Member UncommonPosts: 452
    Originally posted by Laughing-man
    Originally posted by kishe

    Guess name of RA salvatore alone doesnt save you when you game is just a shoddy Fable3 copy.

    Fable 3 was wretched, even fans of the series loath it as uninteresting trash.

    Kingdoms of Amalur was a great game, too bad too many narrow minded people looked at a books cover and never bothered to open it.

    I looked at KoA with interest. A lot of it. But watching some of the streams of the game and reading a bit about it I decided not to grab it. It didn't seem like there was enough quality meat to the game.

  • CujoSWAoACujoSWAoA Member UncommonPosts: 1,781

    This is just a little beyond me, so I'll ask here.

    Whats to come of KoA? Will it remain buyable on Steam or.... vanish?

  • XerithXerith Member Posts: 970

    There has to be a lot more to this whole thing burried somewhere. KoA sold fairly well, over a million copies, which for a companies first game I would say is a pretty good sell. I don't see how they could just go completely out of business after launching a game that I would consider a decent success. 

  • DistopiaDistopia Member EpicPosts: 21,183
    Originally posted by Xerith

    There has to be a lot more to this whole thing burried somewhere. KoA sold fairly well, over a million copies, which for a companies first game I would say is a pretty good sell. I don't see how they could just go completely out of business after launching a game that I would consider a decent success. 

    Sounds to me like they burrowed too much, and also consider they were making an MMO too.

    For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson


  • VeldekarVeldekar Member Posts: 220
    Originally posted by NightCloak
    Originally posted by Laughing-man
    Originally posted by kishe

    Guess name of RA salvatore alone doesnt save you when you game is just a shoddy Fable3 copy.

    Fable 3 was wretched, even fans of the series loath it as uninteresting trash.

    Kingdoms of Amalur was a great game, too bad too many narrow minded people looked at a books cover and never bothered to open it.

    I looked at KoA with interest. A lot of it. But watching some of the streams of the game and reading a bit about it I decided not to grab it. It didn't seem like there was enough quality meat to the game.

    Agreed. I liked KoA pretty well, but it could have used a little more depth.

    I guess we won't be seeing an mmo...

  • heartlessheartless Member UncommonPosts: 4,993
    Originally posted by Xerith

    There has to be a lot more to this whole thing burried somewhere. KoA sold fairly well, over a million copies, which for a companies first game I would say is a pretty good sell. I don't see how they could just go completely out of business after launching a game that I would consider a decent success. 

    According to this article KoA needed to sell 3 million copies in order for the company to break even. Not sure how accurate that is but apparently the governor said so at the press conference.

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  • BrenelaelBrenelael Member UncommonPosts: 3,821
    Originally posted by Xerith

    There has to be a lot more to this whole thing burried somewhere. KoA sold fairly well, over a million copies, which for a companies first game I would say is a pretty good sell. I don't see how they could just go completely out of business after launching a game that I would consider a decent success. 

    I can sum that up in one word - "Mismanagement". Just because someone is a great baseball hero doesn't automatically make them a great businessman or money manager. As far as I'm concerned all of the blame for this failure falls right squarely on the shoulders on Mr. Schilling.

     

    Bren

    while(horse==dead)
    {
    beat();
    }

  • SlampigSlampig Member UncommonPosts: 2,342

    Did Shilling already sell "The Sock"? Get back in front of that camera at ESPN, buddy.

     

    Serious note, between him and the team that was assembled to form this company and make this game, some true heavyweights, how much are these dudes really sitting on?

     

    I know what I made last year and due to what I assume to be a clerical error, the Commenwealth of Virginia wants me to pay back the unemployment I have gotten since my contract ran out, why do these jokers get the day off?

    That Guild Wars 2 login screen knocked up my wife. Must be the second coming!

  • GalthonGalthon Member UncommonPosts: 50
    Originally posted by heartless

    According to this article KoA needed to sell 3 million copies in order for the company to break even. Not sure how accurate that is but apparently the governor said so at the press conference.

    No offense, but politicians don't make for reliable sources of financial information. Not saying he's wrong, but in my experience most politicos seem to believe "3 million" means "somewhere between 0.3 and 30 million". ;)

  • heartlessheartless Member UncommonPosts: 4,993
    Originally posted by Galthon
    Originally posted by heartless

    According to this article KoA needed to sell 3 million copies in order for the company to break even. Not sure how accurate that is but apparently the governor said so at the press conference.

    No offense, but politicians don't make for reliable sources of financial information. Not saying he's wrong, but in my experience most politicos seem to believe "3 million" means "somewhere between 0.3 and 30 million". ;)

    Oh I'm not saying that he's right, just stating what he said. I have very little trust in what your average, run of the mill politician says these days. Especially when it comes to money issues.

    image

  • dontadowdontadow Member UncommonPosts: 1,005
    Originally posted by heartless
    Originally posted by Galthon
    Originally posted by heartless

    According to this article KoA needed to sell 3 million copies in order for the company to break even. Not sure how accurate that is but apparently the governor said so at the press conference.

    No offense, but politicians don't make for reliable sources of financial information. Not saying he's wrong, but in my experience most politicos seem to believe "3 million" means "somewhere between 0.3 and 30 million". ;)

    Oh I'm not saying that he's right, just stating what he said. I have very little trust in what your average, run of the mill politician says these days. Especially when it comes to money issues.

    He's not selling relection i'm pretty sure there's a public contract that says to that effect what they had to do to make money.  For this product.  It's a shame,.

    Alamur is actually a good game. I liked it better than Skyim, the combat was amazing, so much better than Skyrims.  However, Alamur performed more of the "failure" to me as they had way too many MMO tropes in their agme.  Tons of quest hubs, quests that had nothing to do with the mian plot line.  Too many fetch this and do this and no real movement to the story.  From the beginning i knew my enemy and there didnt seem to be much in the terms of a plot other than get stronger and defeat him.  The overall plot felt like someting i'd expect from a baseball player whose RPG pedigree comes mostly from WOW.  

  • RottsteinRottstein Member UncommonPosts: 66
    Originally posted by CujoSWAoA

    This is just a little beyond me, so I'll ask here.

    Whats to come of KoA? Will it remain buyable on Steam or.... vanish?

    Apparently the state of Rhode Island will own it, as well as what is done of Copernicus.

     

    "Pledged as collateral to Rhode Island against the loan are the present and future rights to "Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning," the video game launched in February, and those to an elaborate, multi-player game code-named "Project Copernicus," which is still in development."

     

    Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/24/us-38studios-layoffs-idUSBRE84N1R320120524

     

    last paragraph.

  • SilverbarrSilverbarr Member Posts: 306

    Shame about all the talented workers being laid off also, will be a massive shame to not even get to see Copernicus come to fruition.

     

    M

    "Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys. Look on them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death!"
    - Sun Tzu, the Art of War

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  • TalonsinTalonsin Member EpicPosts: 3,619

    Sad, I hate to see anyone lose their jobs.  Except maybe Jack Emmert and Bill Roper.

    "Sean (Murray) saying MP will be in the game is not remotely close to evidence that at the point of purchase people thought there was MP in the game."  - SEANMCAD

  • heartlessheartless Member UncommonPosts: 4,993
    Originally posted by Talonsin

    Sad, I hate to see anyone lose their jobs.  Except maybe Jack Emmert and Bill Roper.

    Sad, indeed. First EA/BioWare now this. Over 500 people total.

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  • FrodoFraginsFrodoFragins Member EpicPosts: 5,898

    Game companies in New England seldom survive.  Turbine is the exception.

  • terrantterrant Member Posts: 1,683
    Originally posted by heartless
    Originally posted by Talonsin

    Sad, I hate to see anyone lose their jobs.  Except maybe Jack Emmert and Bill Roper.

    Sad, indeed. First EA/BioWare now this. Over 500 people total.

    Agreed. Something sometimes we tend to forget. We almost laugh gleefully when some studio we dislike goes down, but we forget that there's people wondering how they're going to pay their bills this month as a result.

     

    Sad to hear though...they did make a fun game. Hope they all find themselves something better.

  • gaeanprayergaeanprayer Member UncommonPosts: 2,341
    Originally posted by Xerith

    There has to be a lot more to this whole thing burried somewhere. KoA sold fairly well, over a million copies, which for a companies first game I would say is a pretty good sell. I don't see how they could just go completely out of business after launching a game that I would consider a decent success. 

    Last I heard they only sold 300,000 copies. Where's the 1mill+ coming from?

    "Forums aren't for intelligent discussion; they're for blow-hards with unwavering opinions."

  • SilverbarrSilverbarr Member Posts: 306
    Originally posted by gaeanprayer
    Originally posted by Xerith

    There has to be a lot more to this whole thing burried somewhere. KoA sold fairly well, over a million copies, which for a companies first game I would say is a pretty good sell. I don't see how they could just go completely out of business after launching a game that I would consider a decent success. 

    Last I heard they only sold 300,000 copies. Where's the 1mill+ coming from?

    they sold over 450k physical copies in the US alone, the other numbers are up in the air at the moment, but the total comes to about 1.3mill from different sources - none of which I have as I read all the info on this forum. :)

     

    M

    "Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys. Look on them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death!"
    - Sun Tzu, the Art of War

    image

    Support the Indie Developers - Kickstarter

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