GRIN officially closes

By Brendan Sinclair, GameSpotPosted Aug 12, 2009 1:05 pm PT

Swedish developer of Bionic Commando, Terminator Salvation says goodbye, former employees form Outbreak Studios.

The past year was a prodigious one for Swedish developer GRIN. Last August, the developer's downloadable NES remake Bionic Commando Rearmed debuted on the Xbox 360, PC, and PlayStation 3. That kicked off a 12-month run that also saw the studio produce Wanted: Weapons of Fate, Terminator Salvation, and 3D action series reboot Bionic Commando.

GRIN produced four major releases in its last year of existence.

Unfortunately, those titles--mostly met with lukewarm reactions from critics and consumers--will go down as the company's last. Following up on yesterday's reports of mass layoffs at the studio, GRIN's official site carries word of the company's closure.

"It is with a heavy heart we announce today that GRIN has been forced to close its doors," reads the statement, credited to cofounders Bo Andersson and Ulf Andersson. "This as too many publishers have been delaying their payments, causing an unbearable cash flow situation. After 12 years of hard work, employing hundreds of wonderfully talented men and women, it is over."

The statement doesn't specify which publishers' payment procrastination necessitated the closure. In the last year, GRIN has publicly worked with Capcom, Equity Games, Evolved Games, and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.

GRIN's farewell doesn't make it clear what type of project the studio was working on, although it does reference, "our unreleased masterpiece that we weren't allowed to finish." Earlier this decade, the developer worked on a gladiatorial combat game for the original Xbox called Vultures, but that title was canceled before release. The company also worked on the PC ports of Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter and its sequel for Ubisoft.

GRIN may be gone, but some of its developers are already hard at work at a new venture. Terminator Salvation lead programmer Peter Bjorklund has brought together nearly two dozen other members of the game's development team and founded Outbreak Studios in Goteborg, Sweden. The studio doesn't have any announced projects yet, but its Web site suggests an emphasis on digital distribution.

"Our mission is to develop titles for Xbox 360 (XBLA), PS3 (PlayStation Store), Games for Windows Live, PSP Go and iPhone. We also deliver online components for AAA titles, both existing or upcoming," the site says.

211 Comments

  • tonicmole

    Posted Dec 5, 2009 11:47 pm PT

    It's sad that they lost their jobs, but their games where not good, or at least not marketable. This is one of those Duh moments. 3 bad games in a row is not a good start.

  • P1zzaman

    Posted Dec 1, 2009 11:16 pm PT

    "You're TERMINATED FLICKER!"

  • ChrisM95

    Posted Nov 1, 2009 10:32 am PT

    It's sad that there won't be a Bionic Commando 2.... the game was great!

  • xfactor19990

    Posted Sep 20, 2009 4:13 pm PT

    Hmmm i just realized they closed, i never really played their games until today, wanted was decent but very short

  • Gezquester

    Posted Aug 16, 2009 2:35 pm PT

    Dang, I thought Wanted: Weapons of Fate and Bionic Commando were awesome. Oh well, farewell Grin.

  • VXLbeast

    Posted Aug 16, 2009 11:50 am PT

    What is with all the losers giving thumbs down? These poor, real people lost their jobs! Not only that, but their ambition, their dreams, their blood sweat and tears with in that company. To lose something you worked so hard to create must be emotionally crushing. I feel terribly sorry for these peopel.

  • GtownStripes

    Posted Aug 16, 2009 6:48 am PT

    Im glad to hear that a new Studio got started anyways. And in gothenburg. The frontside of Sweden. May their luck be greater than with Grin.

  • Gblazer01

    Posted Aug 16, 2009 1:56 am PT

    it happens to the best of us GRIN

  • AnelZukic

    Posted Aug 15, 2009 1:02 pm PT

    GRIN was one great company but guees that some of them found a new home

  • Jak_Napier

    Posted Aug 15, 2009 11:28 am PT

    This isnt anything to smile about.

  • sun_rider95

    Posted Aug 15, 2009 7:18 am PT

    they had ideas but they couldn't show them ...i feel sorry for grin

  • Quinzark

    Posted Aug 15, 2009 7:04 am PT

    a shame but maybe the new studio will rise from the ash phoenix-esq & produce some masterpieces of XBLA games (& for the others too).

  • gamerfps

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 6:29 pm PT

    I enjoyed all their games, so this is disappointing. The PC GRAWs were awesome, both BC's were a complete nostalgia trip for me, Wanted was good, dumb fun and Terminator: Salvation was a nice, solid (albeit short) shooter.

    This seemed inevitable for them, though. None of their games got the marketing or support from the publishers that they deserved.

  • hannify

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 1:06 pm PT

    whos grinning now

  • Berserkerz

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 10:21 am PT

    They didn't make the best games. Heck, they never even made a GOOD game, but you gotta realize all these guys have talents. Be back to show'em GRIN.

  • Rottenwood

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 9:41 am PT

    Bionic Commando Rearmed was superb; it's a shame their other projects were far below that threshold. With their knack for classic gaming and sharp senses of humor, I think these guys would make a good small-time developer focusing on DLC games. Once the dust settles, maybe start again on a smaller scale, with none of the big-time projects that really tanked the company.

  • Sovereign_13

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 7:24 am PT

    While they obviously didn't produce games of the highest quality, its never a good thing to see a developer close.

  • S_Pac_316

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 1:37 am PT

    If people would have learned how to play the New Bionic Commando better, then they would see that it is a good game. But any way, this really sucks. Hopefully their new studio will pick up the slack...

  • Lionoversusking

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 12:09 am PT

    Their own fault they should have known how to make games that were enjoyable if they were so talented. Its a shame they could have been good.

  • Peacesells92

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 12:09 am PT

    All these people are cheering the loss of these people's jobs. Sure, their games were less than stellar, but these are real people who worked hard. Anyone trying to defend them keep getting thumbs down and to tell you the truth, i had a lot of fun with Wanted. Sure, it wasn't a great game, but it put quiet a few smiles on my face.

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