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Crytek Austin (Vigil) dev & Crytek UK (Free Radical) closed, Hunt moved to Frankfurt

Statement from Crytek after it sold the Homefront IP to Deep Silver.

Firstly, Crytek has been in extensive discussions with leading producer and distributor of digital entertainment products, Koch Media, regarding the acquisition of rights for the "Homefront" IP. On completion of the proposed acquisition, the Homefront team from Crytek's Nottingham studio would transfer their talents to Koch Media in compliance with English law and continue their hard work on upcoming shooter, "Homefront: The Revolution". Both parties hope to finalize and implement a deal soon.

The internal restructuring will also see the development of Crytek IP, "HUNT: Horrors of the Gilded Age", transferred from their studio in Austin, USA to Frankfurt. Crytek will retain a presence in Austin, with several staff members maintaining the CRYENGINE support team to assist North American licensees. Employees who are not set to be part of that support team will be invited to apply for new positions at Crytek in Germany.

Crytek founder and CEO, Cevat Yerli, said: "As we look to cement Crytek's future, this strategic deal with Koch Media would allow us to continue with our ambitious goals to become an online publisher. With Warface, Arena of Fate and HUNT, we believe we have the perfect portfolio and teams to make that happen. We would like to thank all our staff - past and present - in both Nottingham and Austin for their contributions to the company, and we wish all the very best to anyone who may no longer be under the Crytek banner moving forward."

Crytek's studios in Budapest, Istanbul, Kiev and Sofia will continue to operate as usual. A closer collaboration between Crytek's studios in Shanghai and Seoul is under review.

Link

TL;DR - Work on Hunt: Horrors of the Gilded Age moved from Crytek Austin (nee Vigil Games) to Crytek's HQ in Frankfurt and a "closer collaboration" is under review between two studios in Shanghai and Seoul are being looked at.
 
Note: Deep Silver is hiring the vast majority of staff from Crytek UK, but it doesn't seem anyone is doing so for Crytek Austin, at least to our current knowledge. Crytek notes that the Austin staff laid off can apply for new jobs in Germany, but doesn't mention a guarantee.

I am still trying to figure out exactly how many Crytek UK people are moving, or whether it's all of them, or what.

I do know that Hasit Zala, who was the director on Homefront: The Revolution and left Crytek UK a few weeks ago, is heading up this studio.

Venturebeat says Crytek UK is gone and Hunt is moving to Frankfurt to be made

The Crysis and Ryse: Son of Rome developer is closing its U.K. studio and cutting jobs from its U.S. team in Austin, Texas. Much of the talent from Crytek U.K. will join Deep Silver’s new studio in England to continue working on Homefront: The Revolution. The Austin wing of the company will remain open to operate as a support team for North American developers that license the studio’s CryEngine development toolkit, but development of co-op thriller Hunt: Horrors of the Gilded Age will move from Austin to Crytek’s Frankfurt team. This news comes after months of rumors that the developers was missing payroll payments to its employees.

“As we look to cement Crytek’s future, this strategic deal with Koch Media would allow us to continue with our ambitious goals to become an online publisher,” Crytek chief executive officer Cevat Yerli said in a statement. “With Warface, Arena of Fate, and Hunt, we believe we have the perfect portfolio and teams to make that happen. We would like to thank all our staff – past and present – in both Nottingham and Austin for their contributions to the company, and we wish all the very best to anyone who may no longer be under the Crytek banner moving forward.”
 

Nirolak

Mrgrgr
Copy bump.

Glad that Deep Silver is hiring Crytek UK's staff.

Very unfortunate for Crytek Austin/Vigil. From one shutdown to another.
 
Oh shit, I originally didn't see it as a two-studio shutdown, rather a reshuffle of papers situation, so to speak.

Man, Crytek Austin. Fucking hell, man, another shutdown of sorts in 18 months. Here's hoping whatever comes from it forms a new studio and go on to bigger and better things.

All the best to Crytek UK too.
 

L~A

Member
I take it that's what they meant last week when they said their future had been secured, heh.

Still, good news for the jobs.

Poor Vigil devs :(
 

jschreier

Member
Press release:

Frankfurt am Main (Germany), July 30, 2014 – Crytek today offered a detailed breakdown of plans to build for the future as they complete the transition from game developer to publisher.

Following on from a recent announcement that the company's long term financial status is secure, Crytek has now shared more information on changes they are implementing to optimize their business.

Firstly, Crytek has been in extensive discussions with leading producer and distributor of digital entertainment products, Koch Media, regarding the acquisition of rights for the "Homefront" IP. On completion of the proposed acquisition, the Homefront team from Crytek's Nottingham studio would transfer their talents to Koch Media in compliance with English law and continue their hard work on upcoming shooter, "Homefront: The Revolution". Both parties hope to finalize and implement a deal soon.

The internal restructuring will also see the development of Crytek IP, "HUNT: Horrors of the Gilded Age", transferred from their studio in Austin, USA to Frankfurt. Crytek will retain a presence in Austin, with several staff members maintaining the CRYENGINE support team to assist North American licensees. Employees who are not set to be part of that support team will be invited to apply for new positions at Crytek in Germany.

Crytek founder and CEO, Cevat Yerli, said: "As we look to cement Crytek's future, this strategic deal with Koch Media would allow us to continue with our ambitious goals to become an online publisher. With Warface, Arena of Fate and HUNT, we believe we have the perfect portfolio and teams to make that happen. We would like to thank all our staff – past and present – in both Nottingham and Austin for their contributions to the company, and we wish all the very best to anyone who may no longer be under the Crytek banner moving forward."

Crytek's studios in Budapest, Istanbul, Kiev and Sofia will continue to operate as usual. A closer collaboration between Crytek’s studios in Shanghai and Seoul is under review.

It's interesting how their public statements have evolved from "we're in no financial trouble" to "we're selling Homefront and shutting down two studios."
 

Nerdkiller

Membeur
So...no more hope for TimeSplitters 4, it seems. I guess all I've got to look forward to is the fanmade game in development. And even then, the updates are sparse.
 
The Austin wing of the company will remain open to operate as a support team for North American developers that license the studio’s CryEngine development toolkit, but development of co-op thriller Hunt: Horrors of the Gilded Age will move from Austin to Crytek’s Frankfurt team.

Well there goes a lot of my interest for the game. CrytekAustin/Vigil deserve better than being a support team.
 

Nokterian

Member
Damn so everything what Jason said was true it's Crytanic. This ship is sinking fast hopefully those affected will get somewhere else.
 

heyf00L

Member
Pretty soon its just going to be 2K, Ubisoft, and EA.

Amazing. I know it's expensive and very difficult to make a game these days. What I don't understand is how after all that money and hard work they can release crappy games, especially after the first Crysis was so amazing.

I understand they wanted that console money, but don't butcher your flagship franchise for it. Release something else on console. They made no one happy with Crysis 2 and 3.
 

Archaix

Drunky McMurder
Crytek Austin office has been almost empty since the news about UK not getting paid first came out. There's been small groups in there but nowhere near the amount daily two months ago. I've wondered whether most of the staff is even considered employed by Crytek for a while now.
 
Graeme Norgate followed suit and is at Deep Silver:

https://twitter.com/Norgans/status/494528381409849345

Good bye Crytanic, hello Deep Silver Dambuster Studios !

250203130ff5cc2f9629672af027f49a.gif
 

Tenki

Member
Nobody bidded for Vigil during the THQ auction and now they're again fucked. I hope they all make a new studio under the umbrella of a publisher who does care about them making games.
 

jschreier

Member
Note: Deep Silver is hiring the vast majority of staff from Crytek UK, but it doesn't seem anyone is doing so for Crytek Austin, at least to our current knowledge. Crytek notes that the Austin staff laid off can apply for new jobs in Germany, but doesn't mention a guarantee.
I believe the bulk of staff there have already left. Paychecks were missed for a long time.
 
What? But they are Deep Silver Dambzster now!
And if any Publisher would let them work on TimeSplitters again, it's Deep Silver. So hope they also buy the IP, and this will be perfect for Free Radical.

I hope they pick up Timesplitters, but I'm fearing the worst.
 
What the fuck?!

This is horrible :(
At least Deep Silver is doing the fine deed and recruiting most of Free Radical.
I really hope that means that they are giving free reign on doing a TimeSplitters-esque FPS. Because that's really what I want from them.

Deep Silver, I count on you.

EDIT: That said, I don't care if they get the TimeSplitters IP or not. Something in the vein of TimeSplitters would be enough for me. It should also be released on all three current-gen consoles plus PC/Linux/Mac. That obviously includes the Wii U.
 
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