R.I.P. 38 Studios and Big Huge Games

VERY VERY SAD

But a disgruntled ex employee gave us this before leaving

Is that MMO still coming though?

Big Huge Games haven't done anything in years. Their last game was meh.

Rise of Nations was awesome sure, but that's about it.

The IP will go the state of Rhode Island who will auction it off. I'm sure someone will buy it. Apparently Turbine is trying to snatch as many 38 employees as possible, I could see it buying the game and, if not the whole IP.

A shame about Big Huge Games. They made Rise of Nations, man!

Not surprised.

However in wake of this, my heart has been warmed yet again.

Industry bands to find 38/Big Employees Jobs

"Thesudden firingof all 379 employees at 38 Studios and Big Huge Games today was a blow to the industry, even for those of us who expected it. Soon after news broke, many developers, artists, designers, PR people, journalists and fans took to the Internet to express frustration and anger-- and to help.

On Twitter, the hashtag "#38jobs" rose to trending in the US, with people shouting out which studios were hiring and generally sending support to those let go today. AFacebook grouptitled "38Jobs" popped up around the same time. Freelance games journoAlex Rubensgathered all of these jobs tips into a Google Doc that currently sports 84 studios with openings, including Irrational Games, Bungie, Activision, Klei Entertainment, Rockstar and other major and indie companies.

Access the full listhere; it is still in the process of being updated and refined, courtesy of Rubens and The Side Of The Gaming Industry That Proves We're Not All Trolling Douchebags."

Big Huge Games haven't done anything in years. Their last game was meh.

Rise of Nations was awesome sure, but that's about it.

Wasdie

Rise of Legends was better and it bombed. I never played AoE3's second expansion or Catan.

RoL's thermonuclear bomb started all their problems. Reynolds left the studio soon after. Microsoft abandoned them (although they made sure RoL bombed by not marketing it and pushing for an early release... during E3). THQ bought them only to abandon them soon after. 38 Studios saved them just days before the scheduled closure. Eventually Reckoning turned out to be a very expensive game - 6 years in development and a complete reworking in order to fit that dumbass MMO lore 38 was cooking. EA Partners marketing turned out to be poison, plus EA pushed them to deliver the DLC before the patch which now will never be released.

A sad story. Even worse when you remember core Iron Lore staff and the designer of Morrowind and Oblivion were working there.

Serve them right.

HAHA Joking.

But next time, don't claim that your game can easily kill or match Skyrim.

Serve them right.

HAHA Joking.

But next time, don't claim that your game can easily kill or match Skyrim.

Ravenshout

But next time, don't claim that your game can easily kill or match Skyrim.

Ravenshout

I'd much rather play through Amalur than ever touch Skyrim again.

Big Huge Games haven't done anything in years. Their last game was meh.

Rise of Nations was awesome sure, but that's about it.

Wasdie

[QUOTE="Ravenshout"]

But next time, don't claim that your game can easily kill or match Skyrim.

ChubbyGuy40

I'd much rather play through Amalur than ever touch Skyrim again.

It's very huge and deep.

[QUOTE="ChubbyGuy40"]

[QUOTE="Ravenshout"]

But next time, don't claim that your game can easily kill or match Skyrim.

Ravenshout

I'd much rather play through Amalur than ever touch Skyrim again.

It's very huge and deep.

Pretty Generic boss fight, and reallllllly short story line. 3 Kinds of Dragons and thats it.

And as i said guys gaming will eventualy drop on 3 developers and you will still support them,... Afrer destroing global meaning of a word "Game". For me gaming died same day when EA killed Westwood ten years ago.

Big Huge Games haven't done anything in years. Their last game was meh.

Rise of Nations was awesome sure, but that's about it.

Wasdie

Agreed. And then they go off to make an MMO. Another MMO, #193920493. I never cared, and I couldn't care less about their games.. but people losing jobs, not good. I hope they find a new home somewhere.

What's wrong with Skyrim? It's one of the best games in recent years.

It's very huge and deep.

Ravenshout

The ONLY good thing about Skyrim is the scenery. Looking back on it, it was a very mediocre game.

Deep? I've seen deeper games on Android that are free.

Well this is to be expected when you take a $75 million loan to finance your second game when you haven't even shipped 1 copy of your first game. I don't like to see studios fail but when they are run by such idiots there can only be one outcome.

Why :'(

First ensemble studios, now big huge games... and in both cases their last game went in a totally different direction that didn't interest me at all.

Did Amalur not sell good enough or what ?:cry:

Why :'(

First ensemble studios, now big huge games... and in both cases their last game went in a totally different direction that didn't interest me at all.

Did Amalur not sell good enough or what ?:cry:

R4gn4r0k

IIRC, it didn't even push 1 million. I blame EA. They projected it to sell 3 million.

[QUOTE="R4gn4r0k"]

Why :'(

First ensemble studios, now big huge games... and in both cases their last game went in a totally different direction that didn't interest me at all.

Did Amalur not sell good enough or what ?:cry:

ChubbyGuy40

IIRC, it didn't even push 1 million. I blame EA. They projected it to sell 3 million.

Why :'(

First ensemble studios, now big huge games... and in both cases their last game went in a totally different direction that didn't interest me at all.

Did Amalur not sell good enough or what ?:cry:

R4gn4r0k

38 studios took out a $75 million loan to fund their second game before selling 1 copy of KOA. That is not smart, that is stupid. There were something like 1.2 million copies of KOA sold at retail. Even if 38 studio s received the full $60 from each copy it wouldn't have paid off that loan. What were all forgetting is that for all we know 38 studios deal with EA granted them NO ROYALTIES whatsoever from KOA. It happens a lot, a developer gets paid one fee to make a game but gets no cuts of the sales. Not saying that is the case here but it is possible. Either way they shot themselves in the foot with that loan.

Well that's a shame. Taking such a risk with an MMO.

Sure RTS might not be as popular as they once were but I think Big Huge would've had a better change with that kind of game.

Good to hear they are getting employed by other developers, would be a shame if that kind of talent would go to waste.

What's wrong with Skyrim? It's one of the best games in recent years.

It's very huge and deep.

Ravenshout

Huge, yes. Deep, lmao, what? It's extremely shallow.

Very sad, anyway.

RoN was brilliant, RoL was very good too except for the final chapter that felt definitely rushed. KoA was good too. Too easy and could have used more depth, yes, but it was definitely worth being played.

They give me the idea that they're the kind of developer who has good talent but is not given the resources to work on it properly, much like Obsidian.

I had hoped things would work out, so we would eventually get a new Rise of Nations. Too bad. Maybe some company will buy that IP though. Unless Microsoft owns it? I don't know, but Microsoft doesn't have a good track record (Age of Empires Online).

I just hope someone will code a dang patch for Amalur. EA ought to do it, since they are still selling the game.

I feel sad for the workers, but I hope Shilling stays out of game development from now on.

I had hoped things would work out, so we would eventually get a new Rise of Nations. Too bad. Maybe some company will buy that IP though. Unless Microsoft owns it? I don't know, but Microsoft doesn't have a good track record (Age of Empires Online).

James00715

Back in 2008 the game's creator, Brian Reynolds, had no clue who owns the rights to RoN.

They will be missed.

D:

[QUOTE="ChubbyGuy40"]

[QUOTE="Ravenshout"]

But next time, don't claim that your game can easily kill or match Skyrim.

Ravenshout

I'd much rather play through Amalur than ever touch Skyrim again.

It's very huge and deep.

Yay, no patch now... Average PC port, broken balance, getting such a large loan for a risky endevaor (i.e. to fund an MMO), and the DLC deluge BS, well, good riddence!

I guess you could say, this time, it is Curt Shilling that struck out.

/glasses

I guess you could say, this time, it is Curt Shilling that struck out.

/glasses

GummiRaccoon

Way of the world...crap like what EA stay afloat while better companies die...MMO's urgh...they are just too big a project for most companies to do successfully.

To those who say Skyrim wasn't deep...i could barely name a game thats deeper its a vast world, hundreds of quests and characters. I mean i cant name a game that's got the same depth short of Oblivion. Seriously if you didnt find depth in Skyrim you must be blind. Here is a test for you,

Did you collect all the masks and summon the hidden Dragon Boss?

Complete thieves guild?

Dark Brotherhood?

College of Winterhold?

Companion's?

Become Thane in every city?

Do the Daedric Prince Quests?

Go out of Town and discover some of the hidden quests?

Mod the game? (I have at least 8 mods on mine!)

Try becoming a vampire?

Thats only the things that come to mind right away. Hugely arrogant and wrong to say it didnt have depth. Maybe you didnt like the game but give credit where credits due, there are plenty of games i dont like but i wont go saying they are totally crap and theres nothing good about them because if that was true nobody would like them. Classic example of where people hate and dont give any credit is Wow despite the fact its the most played game in the world by a fair bit.