Raven Software trims staff

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.

  • perfect_chao

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 4:32 am PT

    Please Raven.. make a new Soldier of fortune game

    doh

  • Morphine_OD

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 3:28 am PT

    well, I believe they will gather some people when the next project is ready for development. they just tend to cut the staff when it's useless.

  • Adziboy

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 1:42 am PT

    Best of luck to all developers that got let go - although I didn't but it, Wolverines demo was awesome and Wolfenstein seems to be pretty good. I'm sure they could've done more, given the chance.

    Best of luck guys.

  • WeaponX84

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 1:36 am PT

    That sucks, I loved Wolverine and Wolfenstein. I wish that more games of that quality were around. Now its going to be more rare with the staff cut! Glad I just play 'em

  • bloodyrooster

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 9:17 pm PT

    That's why you don't work for game companies, they boot people after every launch.

  • jsbuck99

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 7:43 pm PT

    BUY WOLFENSTEIN BOYD830 its good and underated

  • ThisNameIsDumb

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 7:40 pm PT

    That just means they're not developing as much anymore.. which is true due to the fact they just released a game =P

  • Nerkcon

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 7:02 pm PT

    This is why indie is the why to go, even if the budgets suck.

  • snottrag21

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 7:01 pm PT

    Man that really sucks. I see alot of those guys come in and shop at the best buy I work at and their pretty cool dudes. Well I hope the best for them!

  • ever06

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 6:42 pm PT

    Those guys that got laid off needs to come start up a company in Chicago.

    It'll be nice to see another new game company downtown Chicago because right now it's really slim picking.

  • SDMF_TrueBlue

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 6:28 pm PT

    Unfortunate. Best of luck to those looking for employment. id should make the next Wolfenstein.

  • Gladestone1

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 6:20 pm PT

    Im same with SIns of mosin..Im about 3/4 of the way in myself..Game rocks..The head shots are awesome..Specially on sniper mode, shoot the head an it pops off..Always get a sinister smile on my face..Im also playing batman..Two great titles back to back weeks, next up for me marvel ultimate alliance 2..Cant wait for that one either..Im siding with Captain America on that one..Always go with the underdogs..

  • robfield

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 6:17 pm PT

    Oh now I see. Raven's owned by Activision, and now that id is with Bethesda, and Activision has no other franchises to milk right now, Raven is useless to Activision.

  • MFazio23

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 5:45 pm PT

    It's really too bad, because Raven's an amazing developer.

  • parchisi

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 5:30 pm PT

    The new Wolfenstein game kicks ass. I hope its a success so that they'll get to work on the next one. BJ Blaskowicz (spelling?) is a BAMF!

  • Quinzark

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 5:22 pm PT

    ouch. just hope they kept the best & that those let go can find work in another company.

  • Neogenic

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 5:19 pm PT

    Can't say i like either of the games they produced, but it does go to show how tough the gaming industry is right now.

  • otanikun

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 5:06 pm PT

    Bummer dudes

  • Ovirew

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 5:04 pm PT

    Now I see why they didn't get to have a hand in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2...

  • Bobmarley00

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 5:02 pm PT

    The game was horrible, the let them go because the developers did not listen to the thousands of threads made on the wolfenstein forums. The game will sink unlike RTCW, which people still play

  • TIE_Elite_Pilot

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 4:48 pm PT

    well that explains why I got no feedback at all when I sent Raven a Demo Reel 3 weeks ago . . .

  • railroberto2007

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 4:43 pm PT

    activision is evil

  • Sins-of-Mosin

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 4:38 pm PT

    Sitting around 75% on gamerankings will make me think that the cuts were based on that more then anything else. And yes, that number really does matter. Seems Raven is already cutting costs as they probably expect below average sales.

  • akmex

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 4:32 pm PT

    it looked like a good game.. ?

  • boyd803

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 4:28 pm PT

    critics have drew a mix reaction of review on wolfenstein
    dont know i am going to buy it

  • KreepLX

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 4:22 pm PT

    I am 68% through Wolfenstein and it is really fun. They put a really cool twist on shooters by adding a little role playing environment into it. I wonder if any of the old "Chopper Command" crew still work there?

  • Golbez_77

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 4:10 pm PT

    This is nothing new, jobs are lossed as games are finished and new jobs are created when new games go into development.

  • lamprey263

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 4:07 pm PT

    I use to like their older games like Soldier of Fortune and Jedi Knight, heck even Quake 4 was a lot of fun, but I've no desire to try Wolfenstein just yet, and I can't say I'm too excited about Singularity. Maybe this downsize reflects their rather limited appeal these days.

  • Wingman1977

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 4:00 pm PT

    It's sad to see people lose their jobs. I hope they all find dev jobs in the industry soon (especially since the holidays are only 4 months away). I can sympathy with them since I recently lost my job too (I hope I get a new gig soon since now the blockbuster games are coming out)

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