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Bizarre Creations say goodbye 1994-2011

R

Roxas

Member
the UK based devs Bizarre Creations are closing their doors today for the last time after 17 years in the business, they have brought us some great games like the old PS1 Formula 1 games, Geometry Wars, PGR series. Unfortunatly Activision saw them surplus to requirements after the frankly awesome Blur failed to live upto their expectations. The last game they released was 007: Bloodstone a few months back.

There's a nice montage video on Eurogamer of some of their games. Shame nobody came forward and purchased the company

Liverpool developer Bizarre Creations closes today – and it's said goodbye with a touching video showcasing its superb portfolio of games.

Video "Farewell Bizarre...it's been an absolute pleasure!", below, was put together by Bizarre's video editor Eamon Urtone. It references many of Bizarre's games, including Project Gotham Racing 4, Geometry Wars and The Club.

"Dedicated to all the talented guys & girls at Bizarre Creations," reads the video's subheading.

Bizarre began life in 1994. In November 2010 owner Activision announced its intent to offload the developer, citing poor sales of its excellent Blur racer.

"Bizarre is a very talented team of developers, however, because of the broader economic factors impacting the market, we are exploring our options regarding the future of the studio, including a potential sale of the business," said a statement released at that time.

However, no buyer came forward and last month its imminent termination was confirmed.

Activision exec Coddy Johnson explained that the publisher had "explored a lot of leads – pretty much anyone you can imagine in the industry. But unfortunately, so far we've not been able to find any interested parties. So we've made as a last resort, a recommendation to the team for closure."

At the end of the video: "1994-2011"
Click to expand...

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-02-18-bizarre-says-goodbye-with-farewell-video
 
H

Hammer24

Banned
Obligatory "fuck Activision" post.

I hope the people get picked up quickly by someone who appreciates their talent.
 
L

Lord Griegous

Member
Always sad to see talented studios close down. On a happier note, a lot of talented people will now be able to find a better future someplace better than Activision.
 
C

C4Lukins

Junior Member
Well that was depressing. I hope Activision takes a rogue blue diamond to the ass sooner then later. Or even worse is surrounded by neon snakes and eaten alive.

Lots of love to Bizarre. I hope all of you guys and gals land on your feet and make some more amazing games. I will miss the pumpkin.
 
Y

Yagharek

Member
Disgusting how activision now owns the IP Geometry Wars.

Such a damn good studio.

Formula 1, MSR, PGR, PGR2, PGR3, PGR4, Geometry Wars, Retro Evolved, Retro Evolved 2 ...

They didnt do many different things, but what they did they did with exceptional quality. They defined XBL with PGR2, and that is probably the single best racing game on consoles to date.
 
Stitch

Stitch

Gold Member
AnEternalEnigma said:
I'm not going to bed until someone posts a picture of Bobby Kotick as Satan.
Click to expand...

good night
kotick.jpg
 
C

C4Lukins

Junior Member
RandomVince said:
Disgusting how activision now owns the IP Geometry Wars.

Such a damn good studio.

Formula 1, MSR, PGR, PGR2, PGR3, PGR4, Geometry Wars, Retro Evolved, Retro Evolved 2 ...

They didnt do many different things, but what they did they did with exceptional quality. They defined XBL with PGR2, and that is probably the single best racing game on consoles to date.
Click to expand...


Activision owning Geometry Wars bugs me more then anything else. And I think they own Star Control also. My two favorite franchises in the hands of satan.
 
W

Witchfinder General

punched Wheelchair Mike
RIP

They deserved better.

Metropolis Street Racer, PGR series and Blur rank up there as some of my favourite games.

Fuck Activision for killing any chance for Blur 2.
 
S

Suzzopher

Member
Gutted to see them close.

I hope they find new places of work soon. Although in England right now, things are tough all over.
 
S

Spitz

Member
Sad sad day i loved and bought all there Games. But PGR3 and 4 are by far my favorites.

R.I.P. Bizarre Creations
 
A

Acosta

Member
Guys, let's use this thread to honor a great studio and their people and forget about Activision, just a suggestion.

We'll miss you Bizarre, thanks for the fun:

qsZkV.jpg
 
P

plainr_

Member
Lucius86 said:
Good luck to all the employees in getting new positions fast.
Click to expand...

IMO, Polyphony Digital desperately needs more employees. They should definitely get some of the guys from Bizarre. Maybe establish a studio for them as PD UK. They can bring all the features we'd expect from other modern racers into the GT series and they can handle all PR media. Do we have to decipher every tweet and what little info we get from Kaz again for GT6? Sit me out for that.
 
J

JustAnotherOtaku

Member
:'(

First game of theirs I played was F1 '97 on PS1 and absolutely loved it. Loved MSR and the PGR series too and Blur was excellent. Other games like Boom Boom Rocket and The Club were underrated and then of course there was Geometry Wars.
So sad to see. Really enjoyed their output and they will be missed.
 
L

Lakitu

st5fu
PGR 2 and PGR 4 are two of my favourite driving games ever. Especially PGR 2, that was incredible. In fact, I'd say that is my favourite driving game ever.

Fuck you Activision.

Wish the guys and gals there find some work soon.
 
S

SamBishop

Banned
So I guess this is the part where I admit that I, a full grown man that has enjoyed almost a decade and a half in this industry, gets to openly admit he wept at the reveal of that logo.

It's a wonderful thing to have experienced the full breadth of a development studio, but it's quite another to actually stand by and witness its termination. I will never know the frustration and hardship Bizarre have had to endure. But I've been there, at least in part, and I know the hopelessness. The doubt. The insecurities that maybe it happened because you weren't at the top of your game.

Ladies and gentlemen, you were. You were at the top of your game, and you made games that made us racing fans completely re-evaluate how we took a corner. No Kudos? BULLSHIT, that was an AWESOME slide!! Finally getting that over take? Or stuffing some jerk that dared tried to oust us with a Shunt? Har har, our emotional shiel-aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

NNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO


Blur was really fucking good, dammit.......................... Pew.... Pew Pew.........
 
B

_Bro

Banned
The Club was awesome but didn't seem like the best decisions were being made.

Sorry about the loss of jobs. Geometry Wars was pretty much one of the best launch titles.
 
B

British Monsoon

Member
Goddamn. I loved Metropolis Street Racer so damn much and was so impressed when PGR1 managed to improve upon it in almost every way, something that each of the sequels achieved also, each one a significant step forward from it's predecessor. It's such a shame that we'll never get PGR5 and a bigger shame that such a talented and respected studio have been forced into closure. Fuck you Activision.
 
V

V_Ben

Banned
A tragic end to a wonderful developer. Bizarre were the ones who convinced me that the HD generation was going to be wonderful, and they succeeded. First time I played Geometry Wars, I knew that this generation was going to go to some wonderfrul places. I didn't expect it to end like this. After 15 fucking years, to see such a beloved developer shuttered so unceremoniously is absolutely fucking tragic.

Best of luck guys :/


And now Activision owns Geometry Wars. Fuck.
 
F

Feorax

Member
Playing PGR 4 now. Awesome game, tragedy that bizarre is no more.

Good luck to all, hope they land on their feet quickly.
 
X

Xater

Member
Witchfinder General said:
RIP

They deserved better.

Metropolis Street Racer, PGR series and Blur rank up there as some of my favourite games.

Fuck Activision for killing any chance for Blur 2.
Click to expand...

They absolutely did. :(
 
L

Label

The Amiga Brotherhood
PGR4 is still one of the best racers ever made.

Any chance of MS picking them up to work on PGR5? :(
 
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