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Guerrilla Cambridge to close. Sony makes changes to European studios structure
- Thread starter Savantcore
- Start date
And still over 5M...
Yes look in the OP.
That makes me seriously doubt there will be any more meaningful first party effort put into PS VR. Rigs is top notch and the closest thing to a full AAA retail product there is on the platform. You don't throw devs with VR experience like this under the bus if you're seriously investing into software for the platform.
Man that sucks never played mercs or rigs but they seemed interesting, sucks for those affected. I don't know why these console manufacturers love closing studios so much.
I guess they tried to sell them and no dice, Ubi could have picked me up they don't have a marquee mp shooter but I guess at this stage the market is over saturated
I guess they tried to sell them and no dice, Ubi could have picked me up they don't have a marquee mp shooter but I guess at this stage the market is over saturated
Over the last five years Sony has essentially eradicated their UK development studios. BigBig, Liverpool, Evolution, and now Cambridge have all been shuttered. London got gutted. This likely has little to do with the current political landscape, beyond the lack of any government funded incentives to keep the studios open. It appears Sony is whittling down their lineup of internal projects. If Days Gone flops, I'm certain Bend will be next.
TheJollyCorner
Member
I see the 'Jump To Conclusions' mat was a popular Christmas gift last month due to some posts in here...
Also, anyone saying "should have been (insert any other studio here)" needs to have some serious perspective. Jesus.
Also, anyone saying "should have been (insert any other studio here)" needs to have some serious perspective. Jesus.
Too much downsizing in Europe for my liking. Especially when most of those devs worked on non viable platforms. It would be different if they had failed on PS4 but you can't blame a dev for a game not selling enough on Vita or VR. I hope at some point Sony starts building studios again. Eastern Europe would be a good place to invest in.
Blackleg-sanji1
Banned
Days gone ain't flopping you can quote that.
Jack The Nipper
Banned
I think sony's spending and investments in other 3rd party IP/Kojima play a part.
They are likely on a budget of sort that alots to what they spend on development/exclusives. Once they are nearing that they are making cuts.
I hope it is the last but I feel unlikely.
They are likely on a budget of sort that alots to what they spend on development/exclusives. Once they are nearing that they are making cuts.
I hope it is the last but I feel unlikely.
Easily the best. Hell, i'd put it over some console shooters too.
I didn't ask whether Sony is still working on VR titles, but whether there are any already announced VR games by first party studios.
Kinda unfortunate that the question was on top of the new page, though.
Dargor
Member
Thats probably true, but still...
o franchise has seen increased sales from the PS3 to PS4 generation unless heavily packed in (like Uncharted 4). Also with how long it's been in developpement and the licensing costs of the cars, GTS can't be a cheap game to make, anyway I won't derail the thread but it's interesting how some studios remain despite their lack of releases while others get closed after a single bomb (or sometimes, none).
Way too soon for that.
Blackleg-sanji1
Banned
Yes Sony Japan
I do expect it to go the way of the Move and 3D Support on PS3. Sony really don't stay invested in entertainment for peripherals for long.
Stilton Disco
Member
Absolutely fucking awful, hope everyone there finds employment quickly.
This gen has been a disaster for British game development, and it pisses me off that we have such a technophobic, private capitalist driven government that doesn't do as much as so many other countries to work with studios and publishers to ensure these jobs stay in the UK and thrive like they even used to.
This gen has been a disaster for British game development, and it pisses me off that we have such a technophobic, private capitalist driven government that doesn't do as much as so many other countries to work with studios and publishers to ensure these jobs stay in the UK and thrive like they even used to.
donkey show
Member
Damn, my FB feed with my Cambridge contacts is depressing. 
Triggerhappytel
Member
They also have Manchester Studio, who are also making VR games, so... yay?! I can't imagine London Studio are in a very good place right now either, as they've been tied to fucking niche hardware for years now. They need to get on and develop a proper core game again.
Because PSVR wasn't a big hit, regardless of what people may think or the fact that it's selling better than Vive and Rift. RIGS always had a fairly limited potential audience.
Primethius
Banned
l o l
Lionel Richie
Member
This gen has been rough for this kind of studio, which is a damn shame and I sadly expect the same fate to happen with other devs. Not a good time to be making games it seems.
Hydrargyrus
Member
Are they going to found/buy any studio or are they going to close them all one by one?.
Really disappointing
Really disappointing
outunderthestars
Banned
I doubt that Sony had huge expectations for sales of their last two games. More likely they were given smaller games in order to minimize production costs as a way to keep the studio close to profitable. That said, in the end these things always come down to business. The UK appears to be too expensive of a country in which one can profitably run a smaller development studio.
This is an industry that is always in flux and it seems that, outside of a small handful of development studios, there is little long term stability anymore.
Blackleg-sanji1
Banned
I'm glad someone picked that up too lol
Theslammer
Member
Man, I never played any of their games! Not one. >__>
Has there been an increase? Studios closing has been a continuous thing for as far as I can remember.
Has there been an increase? Studios closing has been a continuous thing for as far as I can remember.
It's still difficult to keep on shelves, meaning it's as big of a hit as Sony was expecting, so it's not that.
We don't know software sales, so maybe RIGS didn't do well in comparison to the VR headsets, but unless Sony set them up to fail, it's not the actual performance of the headset.
Little Old Man
Member
I never thought that I could really enjoy an FPS on a handheld until I played Mercs. Great game, and I still play a few rounds online or with bots when I have some time to kill.
It's troubling to see the direction which Sony has taken with its UK studios over the past several years, though I imagine there are various factors at play which has led to cutting back on the number of studios they have here. It can't be a good sign for VR either.
Hopefully those affected manage to find work pretty quickly.
SprachBrooks
Member
I hope the human beings affected by the decision of the shitty manager land on their feet and find work elsewhere.
Caipirinha
Member
Would have sold a ton at a sane price.
Lol? The game has been a packin across Europe since it came out.
You almost can't buy a PS4 without getting Uncharted 4 )either with the UC4 bundle or the UC4/IW bundle). You'd have to go for the FIFA bundle to not get it.
OfTheOverflow
Member
Goddamn Sony, seriously? Really not a good look. They're slashing studios left right and centre, while I don't hear of me new larger ones opening elsewhere. Where do all these newly jobless devs go? Feel terrible for then, the job market must be Very cutthroat especially now. Best of luck to those affected UK market going down the drain like Australia's did. Surely due in part to Brexit.
UK market going down the drain like Australia's did. Surely due in part to Brexit.Yeah, and that landscape is going to get a whole lot worse. Thanks, Brexiters! I wonder if Sony will eventually relocate most development to continental Europe.
"Guerrilla Games Amsterdam, developer of Horizon: Zero Dawn and the Killzone series, will not be affected."
It doesn't make sense aim for AA games in a niche peripheral when you have to try that game at full price.
I mean Until Dawn Rush of Blood "experience" has sold like three times Rigs in Spain for example.
Milly Osworth
Member
I guess large development teams means you have to shut non profitable studios down a lot quicker than in the past. It drains $$$
Primethius
Banned
UC4 massively outdid the previous UC games just at launch.
You're stretching real hard and it's transparent as hell.
Hmm makes me wonder how long Rare will keeps its door open, till Microsoft decide to shut them down.
Yeah, our government is woefully out of touch and just don't understand the modern world.
Sony closing their UK studios has been a decade long trend, it has very little to do with Brexit at this point.