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Sony closes Evolution Studios (Motorstorm, Driveclub)
- Thread starter Finaj
- Start date
valkillmore
Member
What the hell!! Terrible news. Very sad to hear this. What happens to Driveclub Vr?
Clear
CliffyB's Cock Holster
Its standard practice for Sony to swing the axe this time of year. Fucking sad though, the NW is a wasteland now, tragic given the development history in this area.
SplitYourInfinities
Member
Well, they are releasing a demo this year.
What does one have to do with the other?
GlamFM
Banned
I assume Sony sunk a lot of money in this project and never made it back.
Wasn´t DC fixed by "Sony engineers" because Evo apparently couldn´t get it done?
After endless delays?
This really is not entirely surprising.
Their pitch for whatever was next probably was not convincing and Sony could have been scared to get handed another hot mess they would have to fix.
The bottom line is: There is no way Sony did not lose a ton of money on DC. That´s why they are shutting them down and that is how business goes.
Wasn´t DC fixed by "Sony engineers" because Evo apparently couldn´t get it done?
After endless delays?
This really is not entirely surprising.
Their pitch for whatever was next probably was not convincing and Sony could have been scared to get handed another hot mess they would have to fix.
The bottom line is: There is no way Sony did not lose a ton of money on DC. That´s why they are shutting them down and that is how business goes.
Triggerhappytel
Member
This got a laugh out of me.Because adding staff to an existing studio is cheaper and easier than keeping a whole studio afloat? I mean, I'm pissed off at Sony for this as much as anyone, but I understand that these are two different situations.
AnthonypUK
Member
Just because one studio is closing doesn't mean others arent hiring....
it also adds to Shu's pretty damning recent track record on the state of sonys first party games, he might be great at PR and a nice guy, but might be time for a change.
You know Sony has more than one development studio in the UK right?
Audioboxer
Member
Why the fuck would you axe such talent?
maquiladora
Member
No 
This is awful....
This is awful....Ninja Scooter
Member
How do the facts line up with the idea that a developer that just released a super successful game with tons of community support for ongoing dlc was just shuttered? I'm not saying nobody cared about it, I'm saying enough people didn't. Not sure why it's so hard for people to separate their personal feelings in cases like this. You talk about pushing BS while at the same time trying to spin DriveClub as some sort of commercial success.
thiscoldblack
Unconfirmed Member
I understand the launch of the game was terrible, but the way they have kept providing update after update afterwards made me wish all other developers where that dedicated to the games they release.
Studio Liverpool. I really miss Wipeout. A Wipeout VR would be like a dream come true.
Studio Liverpool.
I really miss Wipeout. A Wipeout VR would be like a dream come true.TheAutomator
Banned
Terrible news. I really enjoyed Motorstorm.
Sony will regret this.
Sony will regret this.
Why do people think I don't give a fuck about the people? I'm speaking about the business in general.
I really don't like Shu much anymore.
Ignores questions on twitter et al, cocky attitude, no transparency.
Anyway sad for another UK dev to go down after LH.
That was Sony UK's doing.
This is Yoshida, in Japan.
Embarrassing lack of communication between regional offices as usual.
nekkid
It doesn't matter who we are, what matters is our plan.
Because adding staff to an existing studio is cheaper and easier than keeping a whole studio afloat?
Yeah. Closing a studio doesn't equal laying off staff. Wait for word on that before hyperbole.
Inf3cted_b3ast
Member
Just seen this news and what in the actual fuck Sony. This is my most played game on Ps4. got the plat and everything. My day is completely ruined. Best of luck to Rushy and everyone over there at Evo.
El_Cinefilo
Member
If anything I'm surprised it took this long. Nevertheless it's very sad news, especially after how they turned around DriveClubs awful start to make it a massively loved and we'll supported game. Hope everyone lands on their feet.
Fox Mulder
Member
It's a joke when turn 10 can put out games like clockwork.
dealer-
Member
I wonder if it would have different if they didn't have those server issues at launch, seemed to be the final nail for the project after the delays even though they made a ton of improvements thereafter.
InsaneTiger
Member
I think the suppport Driveclub received post launch was amazing. One of my favorite racing games. They could have left the game at it was at launch and just left it be. But they really broke it down and actually fixed and improved the game in a major way. The post launch content was amazing too. Still the best Season Pass ever.
I am bummed by the closure too but in the end it just business. Sony thought they needed to make the move and they did. Same with Microsoft closed Lionhead and the other studio randomly. Business is harsh, business sucks, business is business. But I am supremely confident the talented folks at Evolution will find another place to work.
Then eventually get laid off from the place too. Working the game industry is too volatile for me.
biglittleps
Member
Really sad as they created one of the best racing games. What happens to DriveClub VR ? Cancelled ?
Possumowner
Member
Holy cow,didn't expect this.Another talented team gets the boot.
Caayn
Member
When a studio goes under, everyone is eager to recruit the talent of the studio. What Sony did was making a PR move out of it.
It's in no relation to the Evo closure, just a response to one who asked the question.
Anyway, I realize this will go only further off-topic, so these are my thoughts on it and will stop posting about it.
Cheat Code
Member
Whether or not their intentions were actually altruistic or not, Lionhead employees getting employed has no bearing on whether Evolution gets closed. You have Media Molecule, London Studio, North West Studio (where some Evo staff were moving to anyway), Guerrilla Cambridge and XDev based in the UK, Lionhead staff could've been assigned to any of these.
Rain City Gamer
Member
Shitty News! DC is an amazing game with great support after the terrible launch. Bummer that it had to end this way.
Good luck to all those involved!
Good luck to all those involved!
Justice_Bolt
Member
Yep seriously. I'm angry by the fact that we are not going to get a real GT7 on PS4.
really? Driveclub was off to a bad start, but I don't know of many games with the long support that they've given it. Plus the recent Bikes and City updates.
Does this mean Driveclub VR won't be happening, and our dreams of a future Motorstorm HD remix/reboot is dead too?
I'm sure the guys will be ok and will find work elsewhere, but it is a real shame to see the studio close. There is a huge wealth of Racing game talent in the UK, but they never seem to get the breaks
Does this mean Driveclub VR won't be happening, and our dreams of a future Motorstorm HD remix/reboot is dead too?
I'm sure the guys will be ok and will find work elsewhere, but it is a real shame to see the studio close. There is a huge wealth of Racing game talent in the UK, but they never seem to get the breaks
SmartWaffles
Member
What the fuck what the fuck what the f where am I going to get more Driveclub???
Saint Gregory
Member
I can't believe this but kudos to the team for continuing to support DC, it's really turned into one of the best games released in recent years.
This hurts extra hard because I thought they were the last real hope for a Wipeout reboot ;_;
This hurts extra hard because I thought they were the last real hope for a Wipeout reboot ;_;
InsaneTiger
Member
I wasn't imagining anything friend.
SmokedMeat
Gamer™
Awful news. Evolution was a very talented team. I hope everyone lands on their feet.
Totally understand that...i think what people are upset about is hiring people from another studio when their own employees will need new jobs soon.
I think the hardest thing for publishers is figuring out what a good bet will bet 3-4 years down the road, and deciding if it's ultimately their product or consumer interest that's causing their game to fail.
I'm sure that greenlighting a socially connected, online oriented racing game for the launch of a new console sounded like a fantastic idea to stand out in 2010. Sometimes a genre just needs a breath of fresh air to really take off again.
As the clock went on, that idea probably looked progressively worse as racing games proceeded to fail and studios shut down, suggesting a deeper issue with the genre than the ideas just being stale. However, maybe your idea is the one that really works, right?
I think that's why Ubisoft hung on to The Crew for its full six year development cycle as well. Ubisoft really wants growth though and thinks they can dominate in a progressively less crowded genre, so they seem more interested in sticking it out (and actually ended up buying Ivory Tower instead of divesting from the series).
Sony seems to have come to a different conclusion. And frankly, Need For Speed and The Crew are as likely to attract gamers that don't want a sim racer or kart racer as anything Sony's making, so it's not broadening their audience in a way that justifies its risk profile.
I suspect publishers will start ramping up their retail game cullings again in general since it's clear the effort to try some more non-AAAA titles at retail isn't necessarily panning out.
Ghost Slayer
Member
For people who think Sony recruiting Lion's employees is PR and not true: Sony has 2 studios currently working on Unreal 4 (Bend and Sony London VR) so it makes sense for them to get some Lion's veterans who have experience with U4. That has nothing to do with closing Evo.