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Raven Software trims staff

By Tom Magrino, GameSpotPosted Aug 26, 2009 3:34 pm PT

With Wolfenstein, Wolverine out the door, Activision subsidiary said to have let 30-35 developers go as part of transition to two development teams.

Raven Software has had a busy past few months. In May, the Activision-owned studio shipped X-Men Origins: Wolverine, a decently reviewed film tie-in to Marvel Entertainment and 20th Century Fox's film of the same name. Three months later, the studio shipped Wolfenstein, an update to id Software's classic shooter that also received a positive reaction from critics.

A few ravens have apparently flown the coop.

Unfortunately, with both projects now out the door, Activision is apparently trimming headcount at the Madison, Wisconsin, developer. Gaming site Shacknews reports that Raven Software laid off up to 56 developers today.

"With the recent completion of both X-Men Origins: Wolverine, based on the summer blockbuster movie, and Wolfenstein, the next chapter of the famed franchise, Raven Software is slightly reducing its workforce to better reflect the studio's upcoming slate," an Activision representative told GameSpot.

Raven Software remains at work on Singularity, which was delayed in July to Activision's January-March 2010 quarter.

51 Comments

  • coolcoolguybg

    Posted Oct 9, 2009 8:58 am PT

    Raven Software is one of the best video game studios ever. Heretic, Hexen, Soldier of Fortune, Quake 4, Wolfenstein, the upcoming Singularity... All those games are really cool. Why, ActiVision, WHY?!

    I feel sorry for the laid off guys. They are true professionals and I hope they'll remain in the video game industry.

  • hotplayer220

    Posted Sep 8, 2009 2:22 pm PT

    Hmm, for those of you who have seen the Original xXx (Vin Deisel), you will recall a scene where a group of scientists complete the construction of a very powerful biological weapon. Only to have it used on them during there celebration.

    Looks like the exact same thing to me.

  • spenney_2000

    Posted Aug 31, 2009 6:33 am PT

    The game is great but it is severely stricken with bugs. This game requires patches and there is no one left to generate them.

  • Inconnux

    Posted Aug 29, 2009 9:47 am PT

    I have yet to play a Raven game that wasn't tons of fun... sad news

  • Ca9ine

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 11:44 pm PT

    Activision has sunk so low...
    Luckily id Software and Splash Damage are gone from that shameful publisher.

  • guitarboy2954

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 6:12 pm PT

    Face it whens the last time anyone saw anything good come from activision. All they put out are half done games. Raven had quality titles till activision took over.

  • akmex

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 4:46 pm PT

    awesome

  • NuKkU

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 3:55 pm PT

    i hope Raven continues to make great games i like Raven

  • Ripper_TV

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 10:57 am PT

    Now I know this is not a popular opinion, but I'm gonna say it anyway. I think it's a right thing to do, Raven stopped delivering after the first Soldier of Fortune, their games seemed dull and soulless.

  • smoothn00dle

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 10:25 am PT

    @peetowser Sorry 4 post twice but I just read your comment. I don't believe Activision is making game here. Raven's games are direct/indirect compete against COD franchise. I believe Activision bought Raven cheap and slowly destroy this talented developer so EA won't get it. Bad 4 Raven, they choose the wrong buyer. A good game developer lesson

  • smoothn00dle

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 10:17 am PT

    Raven is a good lesson for game developers that don't hold on to one platform/technology/gameplay for too long. The competition is just too stronge vs MW1 & KZ.. I bet Monolith is next.

  • jazilla

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 10:10 am PT

    The game industry is ridiculous when it comes to job security. Why anyone would want to work in a thankless, no perks, dehumanizing, long-hours, indoor gig like that is beyond me. I would rather be a broke artist making a game I want to make rather than working on a sports title or something like that because I needed a job but wanted to make an RPG lol.

  • peetowser

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 9:45 am PT

    Raven started sinking after working on that Marvel Alliance game... We could see there was something amiss when a studio renowned for its great FPS (SoF & 2, RtCW) was doing top-down beat-emups... Activision is retarded, they had Soldier of Fortune 3 done by Activision Value instead of letting Raven do it, with the results we know. Maybe they had to because any sane developper left at Raven was probably gone at that point... I sure hope so because if anyone left from the SoF2 team just got fired it's a shame they went misused this way...

    And with that franchise run into the ground, along with iD gone, what is left for Activision to make value games out of??

  • Rottenwood

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 7:26 am PT

    @agathalynn

    Agatha, we need to talk.

    1.) Spamming advertisements is lower than low, and likely to get you a quick boot or an all-out ban.
    2.) There are, maybe, fifty people that will read this thread. It wasn't even worth the time to make an account for this level of "marketing."
    3.) Cougarster? That's the worst name I've ever heard. Doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, does it? I guess you're going for a connection to Friendster, which would have been okay 10 years ago, but everyone uses Facebook now.
    4.) Nobody wants to think about a pudgy World of WarCraft addict hooking up with some horny old bag of bones.

    Thank you for your time.

  • brian_13un

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 6:30 am PT

    Hope its Great but I also hope it would not be ^_^

  • kvan33

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 6:12 am PT

    A mediocre movie tie-in game and outdated FPS sequel aren't going to keep a studio alive. These days, you need at least one AAA title. Let's face it, Raven doesn't make them anymore.

  • Rottenwood

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 5:53 am PT

    "Hey, guys. Thanks for working so many long hours to get these games out on time and bug-free. Anyhow, you're fired. Feel free to help yourselves to whatever is in our dumpster out back."

    Great way to save money, but don't be surprised if developers start having trouble finding people who want to work for them. A lot of people don't like being discarded whenever it's expedient. I'd like to see employees fight to get long-term contracts and other forms of guaranteed pay.

  • Patatopan

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 5:37 am PT

    Aww no!!!! I wonder how many of those people were from the original team that worked on heretic and hexen.

  • shawn7324

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 4:36 am PT

    I loved Wolverine, & currently enjoying Wolfenstein.

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