• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Activision Closes Budcat; Bizarre Closing On Friday, February 18th

Just heard today that Bizarre Creations have closed. All 200 staff are made redundant.

No, there are no links at the moment..

A sad day :(

// Mod Update

Budcat as well.

PC Gamer said:
Anonymous development sources inside Iowa City-based Budcat Creations phoned into PC Gamer this morning to inform us that instead of developing games this morning, they’re sitting in a bar down the street drinking together and calling friends and family. The reason? When they arrived at work this morning they found security guards outside their office building and “too cheerful” consultants brought in to tell them they’re all being let go. Similar reports are coming out of UK developer Bizarre Creations, who made Blur for Activision just this year.
Source: http://www.pcgamer.com/2010/11/16/activision-shuts-down-bizarre-and-budcat-studios/
 

Nirolak

Mrgrgr
:/

This is very unfortunate, but after Activision sent Bloodstone out to die, I was kind of expecting this.

Hopefully everyone manages to land on their feet.
 
KennyLinder said:
Just heard today that Bizarre Creations have closed. All 200 staff are made redundant.

No, there are no links at the moment..

A sad say :(


Say it ain't so, MSR & F1(PSX) are 2 of my favourite driving games (PGR4 was awesome too). This probably needs a new thread though.(that was quick)
 

Empty

Member
awful if true, just say it ain't so. geo wars 2 is one of my favourites from this generation, geo wars 1 really helped kickstart the growth in xbla/psn stuff that i've love so much this gen, and pgr4 rocked.
 

pirata

Member
Wow, that really sucks ass.


This means no more Gerometry Wars, doesn't it?

Bobby Kotick ups his body-count.
 

[Nintex]

Member
I knew this was coming after Blood Stone, but seriously PGR4 was so goddamn amazing that it's hard to believe they got shut down like this. Fucking Activision dumbfucks.
 
Sorry, but it is true. I heard at work today, and I then looked on Chaos Engine (a game developer only forum) and it was on there.. I believe they are on 90 days notice but its all going through now.

I hope those guys get something sorted. Perhaps irony will set in and MS get them to make that rumored PGR sequel.
 

Stumpokapow

listen to the mad man
If anyone in the industry or at Bizarre wants to confirm or comment but doesn't want to be identified, feel free to PM a mod who can pass along your message in confidence.
 

confused

Banned
Please, please, please don't be true. I love BC and think they are the world's best developers when it comes to arcade racing.

Sadly I'm part of the problem as I didn't buy BLUR.

Fuck Activision
 

Blimblim

The Inside Track
Damn, that's very very sad. Not surprising after their 2 games bombed, but still very sad.
Hopefully Microsoft will see the light and pull a Ruffian with these guys and get them to create a new studio for a new PGR game.
 

N.A

Banned
Hopefully Microsoft can pick a few of them up at whatever dev they decided to use to continue PGR.
 

Nert

Member
That's a real bummer if true. Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 is easily one of my favorite games this generation.
 

Kittonwy

Banned
KennyLinder said:
Just heard today that Bizarre Creations have closed. All 200 staff are made redundant.

No, there are no links at the moment..

A sad say :(

Sad to see people lose their jobs, can't say I'm surprised since Bloodstone didn't look too good that they had to embargo the reviews, and marketing-wise the game was sent to die, developers really have to be careful which publisher they hook up with.
 
Well that sucks :(

The PGR series were the best racing games I've ever played, each one perfectly nailed the balance between arcade and realism by brilliantly combining the best elements of each. Here's to hoping MS get alot of them on board for their new PGR game.
 

Xater

Member
hope it is not true but I kinda saw that coming the the Bloodstone release.

I will also never understand why Activion bought them in the first place. Racing games are not really something Activision seems that interested in and that is what Bizarre does best.
 

besiktas1

Member
ugh such shitty news :/ hope the guys find work quick...

It's been tough for them though, first PGR4 then Blood Stone being sent out to die... Wonder if MS are quitely smirking that they let them go at the right time. I remember people saying MS did the stupid thing letting them go. Maybe they didn't, when was the last commercially sucessful game? Idk :( im just upset...

R.i.p when i get home tonight ima play geowars 2 in their memory.
 

S1kkZ

Member
Blimblim said:
Damn, that's very very sad. Not surprising after their 2 games bombed, but still very sad.
Hopefully Microsoft will see the light and pull a Ruffian with these guys and get them to create a new studio for a new PGR game.
this!
 

SapientWolf

Trucker Sexologist
Sad, but who didn't see this coming after the disappointing Blur sales? The stealth release of Blood Stone only seemed to confirm it. Activision doesn't give that many second chances.
 
I loved Bizarre, mainly for Geo Wars... but I have PGR3/4 as well and they're awesome.

So now Activision own the Geo Wars IP and theres no Bizarre to carry it on?!

Shame such a good British developer has been shut down and all those people lose their jobs. I hope they can all find jobs or reform.
 
Terrible if true. PGR 3 was my favorite 360 launch title, I would just spend hours and hours racing online and alone with Dredg albums on loop. It was a fuckin blast and reignite a love of cars I hadn't felt in over 10 years.

:(
 
that really sucks. i thought blood stone was decent and would have liked to have seen them get another crack at a bond game.

good luck to everyone affected by this.
 

Mad_Ban

Member
After two consecutive bomba's I expected this to be on the cards, but the entire studio? :/

Fucking Activision.
 
Top Bottom