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[VanWinkle]

From Polygon

Epic Mickey developer Junction Point Studio closed its doors, a Disney representative confirmed to Polygon today. The Disney-owned Austin, Tex.-based studio employed about 160 people in early 2012.

"It was with much sadness that we informed our teams today of changes to our Games organization, which include the closure of Junction Point Studios," a representative for the company told Polygon. "These changes are part of our ongoing effort to address the fast-evolving gaming platforms and marketplace and to align resources against our key priorities. We're extremely grateful to Warren Spector and the Junction Point team for their creative contributions to Disney with Disney Epic Mickey and Disney Epic Mickey 2."

In an interview with Polygon last year, Spector said he saw a future in connectivity between smartphones and traditional gaming platforms.

"I make the games I want to make," he said. "I'm going to continue to do that. Anybody who doesn't work for Microsoft, Sony or Nintendo, who isn't thinking about 'How do I get a billion people with an Android, iOS or Microsoft phone in their pocket? How do they interact with my hardware?' If they're not thinking about that, they're not thinking hard enough."

Junction Point's most recent title, Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two, was released in November. According to a report from the LA Times citing the NPD Group, sales of Epic Mickey 2 lagged far behind its predecessor during a similar holiday period.

Junction Point Studio was founded by Warren Spector and Art Min in 2004. The developer was acquired by Disney Interactive in 2007. Junction Point's debut effort, Epic Mickey, was released on the Wii in 2010. A sequel was released for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PC, and Nintendo 3DS last year.

Disney Interactive shuttered two of its game development studios in 2011: Propaganda Games (Turok, Tron: Evolution) and Black Rock Studio (Pure, Split Second). The division has seen two restructurings over the past two years, resulting in the elimination of an estimated 250 jobs.

 

[73V3N]

Another one bites the dust

 

[LiK]

Not surprised at all.

 

[Mad_Ban]

Goddamnit

It's going to be near impossible to find a job in the industry soon. So many talented people in limbo.

 

[dragonflys545]

Boom... Damn this generation sure is brutal.

 

[Linkhero1]

After Epic Mickey 2, I'm not that surprised.

 

[Tagg9]

I wonder what will happen to Warren?

 

[Visualante2]

Called it.

I wonder what will happen to Warren?

Seamus Blackley finds him a sweet gig somewhere else. We get hyped, and maybe next time it won't be such a disappointment.

 

[wrowa]

Sad for the people working there, but Spector is probably better off working somewhere non-Disney.

 

[EloquentM]

The rumor was true. Next gen is gonna be a blood bath.

 

[JaseC]

Boom... Damn this generation sure is brutal.

It has nothing to do with "this generation" and everything to do with Spector's two awful games bombing hard.

 

[Currygan]

I wonder what will happen to Warren?

I suggest a sabbatical year of ten years to re-learn how to make good videogames

 

[javac]

Hope they get back on their feet, some great talent there as well as some great and ambitious ideas.

 

[cw_sasuke]

Two mediocre games in 8 years, so it's not surprising, though it sucks.

 

[Dragoon En Regalia]

RIP

Another Austin developer...what a messy generation.

 

[george_us]

One of my good friends works there.

Fuck this shit man.

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

Understandable I guess. Epic Mickey 2 got horrible reviews. I haven't even played it since every review stated it was worse then the original, and I didn't think too much of that. Surprised that a developer of Warren Spector's stature couldn't "get" platformers.

Still, sucks for all those that lost their jobs.

 

[pa22word]

Not surprising after Epic Mickey 2 did so bad.

I wonder what will happen to Warren?

He probably already had 20 job offers before this even aired, most likely.

I suggest a sabbatical year of ten years to re-learn how to make good videogames

I kinda doubt this was entirely on him considering Disney's solution to the idea of a delay was to hire 300 more people to work extra hard on the game >.>

 

[Interfectum]

It has nothing to do with "this generation" and everything to do with Spector's two awful games bombing hard.

This. People blame "this generation" too much. They released one sub-par game and one outright dud. Them closing is not really a shock.

 

[AgentChris]

I hate when studios close down Good luck to everyone. I hope you land in a better position soon.

 

[JaseC]

I suggest a sabbatical year of ten years to re-learn how to make good videogames

He can go to Valve and join Doug Church's team.

 

[Vire]

They released a sequel that was somehow worse than Epic Mickey.

I can't say I'm surprised in the least bit unfortunately.

 

[Busaiku]

It's not really surprising after the performance of the latest game.
The studio was also pretty bloated.

 

[Rickenslacker]

I guess the silver lining here is that Warren isn't doing Epic Mickey games now. Still, sucks for everyone that lost their job.

 

[megamerican]

Truly sorry for those that lost their jobs. Hopefully the silver lining is that Warren will get to return to some more interesting games / ideas.

 

[mugurumakensei]

Understandable I guess. Epic Mickey 2 got horrible reviews. I haven't even played it since every review stated it was worse then the original, and I didn't think too much of that. Surprised that a developer of Warren Spector's stature couldn't "get" platformers.

Still, sucks for all those that lost their jobs.

Platformers tend to be the hardest games for developers to get. You have Jak And Dexter, Mario, the rare good Sonic game, and thats about it as far as good platforming franchises.

 

[shinobi602]

Goddamnit

It's going to be near impossible to find a job in the industry soon. So many talented people in limbo.

Don't worry. Talented game designers always find work somewhere else.

 

[-PXG-]

I'm shocked they didn't close shop after the first Epic Mickey

 

[Ushojax]

That's a shame but they made two awful games, they were never going to survive.

 

[LiK]

I'm shocked they didn't close shop after the first Epic Mickey

first game actually sold well, I think.

 

[CecilRousso]

2 mediocre games in 7 years, not good enough. Hope Spector tries something smaller next time.

 

[Malvingt2]

EM2 was a huge mistake for them. In fact I don't know why, the game was on the 360,PS3 & WiiU..

first game actually sold well, I think.

Yes sold really well..

 

[Metalmurphy]

"A sequel was released for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PC, and Nintendo 3DS last year."


Yeah...


I guess that's not happening anymore.

 

[mentalfloss]

That's a shame but they made two awful games, they were never going to survive.

They were hardly awful.

B tier game developers will have an even tougher time next gen as costs double.

 

[TheBaronOfNA]

Is a shame. But the first Epic Mickey was overhyped to death by Spector

 

[Deband]

That's all folks.

 

[JaseC]

first game actually sold well, I think.

It'd sold 2m by mid-2011 but by that point it was already cheap as chips, and I strongly doubt that recouped the costs involved with ~3.5 years of development and marketing. The only territory it launched well in was the US.

 

[vagabondarts]

There's a lot of bloat in the industry and it's showing through mass studio closures making crappy games.

Epic mickey 2 could have been amazing and been 5 times the game the first one was, but so many people felt burned by the first one, they weren't going to buy the 2nd.

Surprised it got made, even more surprised with how it turned out. Majorly missing the mark..

If I was in school to work in the game industry, I would be nervous

 

[Interfectum]

B tier game developers will have an even tougher time next gen as costs double.

Not really true. Downloadable / indie titles are going to be absolutely huge next gen. Plenty of room for B tier developers to get in on that.

 

[EloquentM]

They were hardly awful.

B tier game developers will have an even tougher time next gen as costs double.

No no, it has nothing to do with rising development costs per generation.

Not really true. Downloadable / indie titles are going to be absolutely huge next gen.

Can I borrow your crystal ball?

 

[StuBurns]

Not surprising, considering Epic Mickey was awful.

That rad concept art though, still a thing of lust.

 

[Oneself]

Tomorrow: Crytek opens a new ... oh no wait.

 

[Meier]

The Austin dev scene is getting hit hard lately. Good luck to everyone.

 

[ShockingAlberto]

So is the new forever-to-be-repeated misinformation campaign going to be that Epic Mickey was a huge bomb and not the much more important story that Epic Mickey 2 being a bomb was enough to close the studio?

 

[Rickenslacker]

That rad concept art though, still a thing of lust.

Ah, what could've been eh?

 

[Pachterballs]

Nice concept art. Too bad about the game..

 

[megamerican]

I do have to wonder how badly Spector dinged his reputation with all the Molyneux-esque over promising and under delivering that went on with both of these games.

 

[Vire]

Hopefully this guy lands on his feet:

He earned it...

 

[Ushojax]

They were hardly awful.

Yes they were, the second one in particular. Epic Mickey sold OK on the back of the brand, but it wasn't a good game and people weren't interested in the second one (which was even worse).

 

[Pooya]

"A sequel was released for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PC, and Nintendo 3DS last year."


Yeah...


I guess that's not happening anymore.

didn't know that, heh.