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Disney layoffs hit Turok, Bolt studios

Propaganda loses "less than 30" employees, publisher consolidation of Avalanche Software and Fall Line Studios affects up to 20 more.

Add another publisher to the list of those laying off developers in tight economic times. Disney Interactive Studios has confirmed for GameSpot that a number of employees were laid off today from the company's Propaganda Games, Avalanche Software, and Fall Line Studios locations.

Disney takes a bite out of Turok developer Propaganda.

Disney takes a bite out of Turok developer Propaganda.

A representative with the publisher dismissed online reports that more than 70 developers had been let go from the Vancouver, British Columbia-based Propaganda, saying the actual number was less than 30. As for those reports' other contention--that a planned sequel to the studio's Turok game was canceled in the process--the representative said only that Propaganda still has two teams working on unannounced projects and that Disney Interactive Studios holds the rights to the Turok character, which it licensed from Classic Media. Since Propaganda Games' formation in 2005, the studio has released only one game, last year's PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC revamp of the Turok franchise.

As for Avalanche and Fall Line, Disney is consolidating the two Salt Lake City, Utah, development houses "for efficiencies," a process that resulted in "less than 20" employees being laid off today. Since the founding of Fall Line in 2006, the studio has focused on games for Nintendo systems, and the representative said that the consolidation will bring the Wii "into the forefront of our development plan at Avalanche."

Previous Fall Line titles include the DS efforts Hannah Montana: Music Jam and The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. Even before the consolidation, Disney had referred to Fall Line as a "sister studio" to Avalanche Software.

Not to be confused with Just Cause developer Avalanche Studios, Disney's Avalanche Software frequently works with the company's family-friendly feature film properties, like Meet the Robinsons, Chicken Little, and, most recently, Bolt. Prior to Avalanche's acquisition by Disney in 2005, the developer had worked on a wider variety of games, including Midway projects like NBA Showtime, Rampage 2: Universal Tour, and Mortal Kombat Trilogy.

59 Comments

  • Foxtrot561

    Posted Feb 14, 2009 5:49 pm GMT

    I want a new Turok

  • Foxtrot561

    Posted Feb 14, 2009 5:49 pm GMT

    So there won't be a new Turok?! That was one of my favorite games

  • TWayne1020

    Posted Feb 4, 2009 11:18 pm GMT

    Hope they make another Turok game for the 360. This being their first game ,which was good, the potential for a greater #2 was imminent .

  • bluefishhead

    Posted Feb 1, 2009 2:31 am GMT

    some classic games should juts not be "revamped" turok was fun on n64 but it was clear it would never make it as a next gen game, the concept is just too simple, shoot dinosaur, reload, repeat.

  • D-K-Brown

    Posted Jan 31, 2009 2:09 am GMT

    It must suck working in a studio where you really can't express any true ideas or create anything inspiring. I mean, for example, if you work at Neversoft, you'd just be pumping out Guitar Hero after Guitar Hero until the audience got bored. Nothing but Guitar Hero. That would suck.. but working at these studios where, let's face it, the games you would make are just unbelieveably awful.. well, maybe it's a blessing. Go look for a job at one of EA's many monotone studios. You never know, you could be pumping out Need For Speed after Need for Speed or Sims pack after Sims pack.

  • Mr__Peanut

    Posted Jan 30, 2009 11:24 pm GMT

    Turok always sucked

  • hatieshorrer

    Posted Jan 30, 2009 10:25 pm GMT

    I was really hoping this game would be up to par with the other FPS's of its time. At least it had a good campaign.

  • bh147

    Posted Jan 30, 2009 1:37 pm GMT

    Damn.... and they were making a sequel... Turok is one of the funnest games I've ever played. I hope it all works out though.

  • mvlbr

    Posted Jan 30, 2009 1:25 pm GMT

    "Surprise-Surprise!!!"

  • jazzyrider

    Posted Jan 30, 2009 11:31 am GMT

    ouch! and i thought the gaming industry wouldn't be affected

  • Arch649

    Posted Jan 30, 2009 11:05 am GMT

    Turok was a good, but conventional game. If the sequel had some more interesting weapons, and made the dinosaurs take on new shapes (grafted weapons, etc. just like Turok 1) then I think they would have had something going for them.

    Sucks, they had potential.

  • InfectX

    Posted Jan 30, 2009 10:58 am GMT

    "Propoganda loses '[FEWER] than 30' employees..."

  • Jedilink109

    Posted Jan 30, 2009 10:30 am GMT

    I feel bad for Fall Line. They have to make such horrible licensed games.

    And while I enjoy the new Turok, The hero in the new game was super huge. Like Gears Of War freakishly huge looking. Make another Turok with a man....using NORMAL proportions. And although I enjoyed what I've played of the new game and will get it now that the price has gone down, there's something about it that doesn't feel like the older Turok games did.

    Make a game as good as Turok 3. That game was friggin awesome!

  • eViL_iTo696

    Posted Jan 30, 2009 10:29 am GMT

    the best turok was 1 & 2 the rest was a waste of time it fell from the story line

  • SiNoNaX

    Posted Jan 30, 2009 10:29 am GMT

    To the people that got laid off, just wanted to say that we feel your pain in these tough times. Hang in there and hopefully destiny will bring all of you fruitful opportunities to chew on in the near future.

  • blank33

    Posted Jan 30, 2009 10:13 am GMT

    The original Turok, for N64, was good. You could make the dinosaurs dance

  • Skullcandy

    Posted Jan 30, 2009 9:37 am GMT

    Sucks for the employees but Turok hasn't been good since...well ever.

  • icym

    Posted Jan 30, 2009 8:27 am GMT

    I'm sorry hear to more people getting hit with a pink slip. Good luck guys and I hope you all recover sooner than later!

  • Fandango_Letho

    Posted Jan 30, 2009 8:11 am GMT

    Sad. Turok was fun. Had its share of problems, but a very good product overall. Koei should go bankrupt and why people still buy their crap games is beyond me.

  • Timstuff

    Posted Jan 30, 2009 7:38 am GMT

    @ 1425678786655:

    Nintendo never made a Turok game. The Turok games on N64 were all made by Acclaim, who went out of business a few years ago. Also, the first Turok was also on PC.

  • Timstuff

    Posted Jan 30, 2009 7:36 am GMT

    Marcster1994: "Disney + Violent Dinosaurs = ????"

    Didn't you see "The Rite of Spring" in Fantasia?

  • woodyhou

    Posted Jan 30, 2009 7:31 am GMT

    Turok was garbage, hopefully there won't be a sequel.

  • EXxile

    Posted Jan 30, 2009 6:42 am GMT

    Disney laid off a developer with a lot of potential. I actually enjoyed Turok, and for being Propoganda's first game, it was very well done. I hope someone picks them up.

  • Hellboard

    Posted Jan 30, 2009 5:33 am GMT

    duh not again

  • Cwagmire21

    Posted Jan 30, 2009 5:27 am GMT

    Doesn't surprise me - Disney has changed a lot over the past few years. Pirates of the Caribbean anyone?

  • coldfire94

    Posted Jan 30, 2009 5:08 am GMT

    dam Disney hope they sell it to a company that knows how to make games

  • xxxTristamxxx

    Posted Jan 30, 2009 4:41 am GMT

    Disney, Coke Cola and MS own everything...LOL.

  • chappy_man

    Posted Jan 30, 2009 3:59 am GMT

    not sure i am gonna miss the hannah Montana game hahaha

  • firehawk998

    Posted Jan 30, 2009 3:37 am GMT

    Disney had a gaming division and they owned turok!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What is the world coming into?

  • Aletunda

    Posted Jan 30, 2009 2:56 am GMT

    ive been playing turok since the first game and ive loved it ever since, i jumped over the moon when the turok for xbox 360 was released and i am disappointed to hear that due to the effects of the financial crisis there have been tons of lay offs and thus terminating amazing franshises like turok i hope they pick it back up

  • RAVEZero

    Posted Jan 30, 2009 12:41 am GMT

    Here's hoping those folks find decent jobs after all this.

  • beavisbond

    Posted Jan 30, 2009 12:20 am GMT

    Let's just hope that when 'Disney On Ice' come's to town, Turok will be in it!

  • hatieshorrer

    Posted Jan 29, 2009 11:22 pm GMT

    @1425678786655

    I think your a little confused the original Turok games were made by a private company that choose to make the games for the N64. Nintendo had no influence on the decision to make the games N64 exclusives. Also Disney bought the rights to the turok franchise not the original company that made Turok.

  • Night_Frost

    Posted Jan 29, 2009 10:28 pm GMT

    Hmm, hard to imagine Disney holds the rights to a game featuring dinos trying to tear your head off. I hope they continue with Turok 2

  • 1425678786655

    Posted Jan 29, 2009 10:26 pm GMT

    DIS owned other studios?? let alone the one that made turok? LOL.
    just funny that disney owns the company that makes a dinosaur killing game hah. or disney should sell that company to MS or nintendo again since nintendo knew what to do with their turok games. disney needs to keep making kids stuff not supporting these kind of games, and we wonder why the games have been ok at best.

  • Cowing30

    Posted Jan 29, 2009 8:32 pm GMT

    i loved the original turok. and this most recent one all tho far from great was a step in the right direction. i hope they continue

  • Pete5506

    Posted Jan 29, 2009 8:10 pm GMT

    lol, whats wronge with this?

  • JaksCreed

    Posted Jan 29, 2009 7:48 pm GMT

    I hope they make one where mickey mouse screws you over and your mission is to find him and kill him the whole game. HA!

  • leon-fenrir

    Posted Jan 29, 2009 7:48 pm GMT

    I will be technical. It was actually Touchstone, not Disney who made Turok.

  • thatSTERLINkid

    Posted Jan 29, 2009 7:27 pm GMT

    Turok 2... extra costumes featuring a mickey mouse hat (with ears) and gloves? hmmmmm....
    that would be pretty interesting

  • Marcster1994

    Posted Jan 29, 2009 7:06 pm GMT

    Disney + Violent Dinosaurs = ????

  • EA2Y731

    Posted Jan 29, 2009 6:33 pm GMT

    pretty ironic of disney hahaha

  • Tony2519

    Posted Jan 29, 2009 6:22 pm GMT

    id love to see a dinosaur bite mickeys head off. lols

  • msudude211

    Posted Jan 29, 2009 6:18 pm GMT

    At least they're not closing...

  • Eman2t3

    Posted Jan 29, 2009 6:00 pm GMT

    Turok with Micky mouse and friends.... LOL

  • mariokart64fan

    Posted Jan 29, 2009 5:56 pm GMT

    there cant be another turok 2! turok 2 is already out like 11 yrs ago on the n64lol

  • Timstuff

    Posted Jan 29, 2009 5:47 pm GMT

    lamprey263, Propoganda didn't close. They lost under 30 employees, but they still have two studios who are at work on two new games. I really hope one of them is Turok 2!

  • lamprey263

    Posted Jan 29, 2009 5:36 pm GMT

    I really liked the original N64 game, and I hadn't tried any of the other Turok games until the latest one, and I actually really liked the last one. Shame the studio had to close 'cause I thought they did a damn fine job. Though, I did buy the game for $25 and felt it was worth it at that price, I really didn't feel it was worth paying the full $60 for it, but that's still not to say it isn't that good.

  • clauwman

    Posted Jan 29, 2009 5:28 pm GMT

    What most people forget is that Disney is just another group of suits and ties who are trying to make money...

  • tupac-makaveli

    Posted Jan 29, 2009 5:20 pm GMT

    these were all terrible studios, hannah montana games and "too-little too-late to the party turok" didn't make things any better. as i like to say to bad games...GTFO!

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