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[AMC124c41]

Just learned about the closure, it sucks massive balls These guys were amazing at what they were doing and Driveclub, despite its rocky start, is a fantastic game. This just sucks.
Sony, I am disappointed !

 

[Late Flag]

Damn, that sucks. Motorstorm Pacific Rift was one of my favorite PS3 games. I actually platinumed that thing and sunk a bunch more hours into it afterward. Such a fantastic game, and I'm disappointed there won't be a PS4 sequel.

 

[Lgndryhr]

Sad to see but the writing was on the wall right after DriveClub was announced. Lots of issues in beginning and launch issues. Then they reduced size by 50% I believe not too long after DriveClub launched. Lastly the best sign was how they treated the title at last E3. Was hoping for a PS4 MotorStorm title. Was never a fan of DriveClub, but do appreciate what they were doing and trying to do. Best of luck to the remaining employees. Hope Sony doesn't let them go.

 

[Shaneus]

Really is sad that the racing/driving genre has become unsustainable within a single console generation (granted, one that lasted longer than expected).

We've lost:

BlackRock Studios
Bizaare Creations
Evolution Studios
Sega Racing Studio
Studio Liverpool
EA Black Box
Criterion were restructured

some others I've forgotten to list probably!

and Codemasters are struggling, despite holding one of the most mass-market friendly racing IP (F1, Rally). Bugbear too - after Ridge Racer Unbounded they've had to resort to a crowdfunded game, they had no shortage of work to do before then with PSP ports and Flatout.

Yeah My favourite genre is seemingly done and dusted now, unless you want to make it open-world (which I despise in racing games)

I still dont understand as a genre why arcade racers have just lost popularity with gamers. They dont have to be AAA titles...

ps3ud0 8)

Blur wasn't AAA. Maybe Blur 2 could be made on a non-AAA budget?!?

Edit: God damn, this video. Last time I had these feels, it was when watching this video on Bizarre for the first time

 

[Guymelef]

 

[8-Bit Sunset]

This makes as much sense as Psygnosis and Factor 5 closing.
Another gone
Damn, I hope they can all form a startup together and make their games multi-plats for all to enjoy.
Such a fantastic and super talented team who deserves only great things!

 

[Afrikan]

yeah cuz they some motherfuckin talented ass people! Can't Wait.

 

[RE_Player]

Never thought I'd get emotional over a studio closing but seeing them turn around Driveclub and being with that product since day 1, as well as being a Motorstorm fan, makes me sad.

Fuck you Sony

 

[AntMurda]

A real shame. Evolution Studios was a very talented studio. I still don't understand the closure of studios making GOOD games. The market is always changing, and sometimes certain properties don't meet expectations - but why not reshift their focus instead of closing down a studio that was delivering quality products.

 

[nib95]

 

[btkadams]

but Motorstorm...

 

[timetokill]

I guess now that Sony doesn't desperately need games to keep up with Microsoft in the marketplace, they feel they can cut devs

Hope the talented devs land on their feet with a publisher that appreciates them more

 

[ThoughtsOfSpeaking]

I gotta think that Dreams will be the game that either destroys them or launches them into the stratosphere.

The problem is, Sony probably has no clue how to market it.

I could see dreams flopping at retail, MM being closed because of it and years later becoming a massive success because the right influencers start playing it. If ever a game that could get a second wind, its that.

 

[dracula_x]

If Sony puts their deathly hands anywhere near Media Molecule, I'll take the next flight to Japan to throw eggs at their headquarters.

I doubt this happens anytime soon. Because Media Molecule is clearly Kaz Hirai's favorite game studio – https://youtu.be/LAZ7gksyF7Q?t=2049

 

[Socky]

Gutted. Motorstorm PR is my favourite racer and DC is great too. This isn't fair, dammnit.

 

[Manu]

Damn, I'm gonna miss Motorstorm.

 

[plagiarize]

Just.. boooooooo.

I loved Evolution Studios. The first PS3 game I played at E3 was Motorstorm.

 

[Shaneus]

This popped up too:

Still, pretty gutted about this. Closing the studio that basically sold me on the PS4 feels bad, man.

 

[PetrCobra]

Really is sad that the racing/driving genre has become unsustainable within a single console generation (granted, one that lasted longer than expected).

We've lost:

BlackRock Studios
Bizaare Creations
Evolution Studios
Sega Racing Studio
Studio Liverpool
EA Black Box
Criterion were restructured

some others I've forgotten to list probably!

and Codemasters are struggling, despite holding one of the most mass-market friendly racing IP (F1, Rally). Bugbear too - after Ridge Racer Unbounded they've had to resort to a crowdfunded game, they had no shortage of work to do before then with PSP ports and Flatout.

Meanwhile Monster Games are doing ports and haven't made a racing game since like 2009...

 

[dracula_x]

 

[More_Badass]

Yeah My favourite genre is seemingly done and dusted now, unless you want to make it open-world (which I despise in racing games

If you don't mind indie games, arcade racers are kind of hanging on in that space.
GRIP, Distance, Krautscape, Redout, Formula Fusion, Drift Stage, the planned Burnout 3 successor, Drive Drive Drive, 90's Arcade Racer

Actually Formula Fusion is from ex-Studio Liverpool devs

 

[El-Pistolero]

The market gobbles up every goddamn game with a grenade launcher in it, but has become lethargic, to the point of narcosis, when faced with an arcade oriented title...
There is not enough of us to make the segment sustainable, and that is something there is little to do about.

 

[Shaneus]

Rushy retweeted this, too

If you don't mind indie games, arcade racers are kind of hanging on in that space.
GRIP, Distance, Krautscape, Redout, Formula Fusion, Drift Stage, the planned Burnout 3 successor, Drive Drive Drive, 90's Arcade Racer

Actually Formula Fusion is from ex-Studio Liverpool devs

Hm, I guess it's not looking too bad then! I'd already backed Distance on Kickstarter Be still good to see a heavily-backed racing title though :/

 

[Conezays]

That's sad to hear; really enjoyed what I played of Driveclub and its DLC. Best of luck to the team's staff in the future.

 

[Gandalf]

Oh for fuck sake... I really, really liked Evolution. Hope all the workers affected find employment quickly.

 

[Radec]

 

[nib95]

Rushy retweeted this, too

Hm, I guess it's not looking too bad then! I'd already backed Distance on Kickstarter Be still good to see a heavily-backed racing title though :/

I'm feeling hopeful. Wonder if they'll stay exclusive or go multiplatform. Kind of wish there was a way they could have just bought themselves out and retained some of the IP's, because I'd love Driveclub and Motorstorm sequels. In fact, I need a Driveclub one.

 

[Handy Fake]

I get the impression that the studio may be closing but those involved may be being whisked off to other places to continue their good work under a different moniker. Just a hunch.

 

[Melchiah]

The market gobbles every goddamn title with a grenade launcher in it, but has become lethargic, to the point of narcosis, when faced with an arcade oriented title...
There is not enough of us to make the segment sustainable, and that is something there is little to do about.

And every goddam title with open world in it, and condemns good track and level design for being archaic corridors.

 

[More_Badass]

I'm feeling hopeful. Wonder if they'll stay exclusive or go multiplatform. Kind of wish there was a way they could have just bought themselves out and retained some of the IP's, because I'd love Driveclub and Motorstorm sequels. In fact, I need a Driveclub one.

Would love a Motorstorm sequel or successor. Nothing quite like that game's aggressive racing. Would love doing races on bikes with every other racer being trucks and big rigs, so intense

 

[mugurumakensei]

So uh no Driveclub VR?

 

[timlot]

Rushy seems like a cool guy. He always kept the community up on whats happening with DC.

 

[lukeskymac]

So uh no Driveclub VR?

Apparently some people at Sony will be taking care of Driveclub from now on. This likely means DCVR isn't going anywhere.

 

[travisbickle]

Totally gutted, but not surprised. Motorstorm and Driveclub are two games that I've played a lot.

Not surprised because the racing genre has become smaller and smaller over the years. I do think there will be a renaissance of sorts in VR, so I hope Sony move some of Evolution into a studio that's more dedicated to VR.

Also, if any of them do a Kickstarter I'll back it!!

 

[eyeball_kid]

What? What the goddamn hell Sony. Retaining good talent and studios should be Job Number One. Even if you don't agree that DriveClub is the best game on the PS4 right now, it would be hard to argue that it's not the most beautiful and technically impressive game on the console. These are not people you should fire. I understand that numbers and financials matter, especially as Sony until recently was not doing great on that front, but they had enough belief in Evolution to market and release DriveClub, so they should share in that responsibility and not put the blame and punishment on the developers. And to be honest I'm surprised at this because I assumed DC was doing well on the sales front; it certainly has universally positive buzz here on GAF now.

I never liked the Motorstorm games, but DriveClub is fantastic. Evolution won me as a customer, and if they continue on as an independent studio they have my loyalty. Is there any news about DC's future, in terms of servers and DLC?

P.S. – who is the Sony exec that makes these calls? Kaz?

 

[N.Domixis]

Hopefully the ND delays don't affect them too, multiple delays looks iffy.

 

[ukas]

Hopefully the ND delays don't affect them too, multiple delays looks iffy.

ND won't be going anywhere anytime soon.

 

[Ray Down]

Hopefully the ND delays don't affect them too, multiple delays looks iffy.

Doubt it, Uncharted 4 and Last of Us 2 will be huge. They done more than enough to be safe, unless they really mess up.

 

[trixx]

I hope everyone manages to land on their feet, and lands new positions. This sucks massively

 

[NightOnyx]

I'm really disappointed to see this news. Obviously we don't know the full details of why this happened, but from the outside looking in, it just seems unnecessary. It also rubs me the wrong way that Playstation swooped in for some good PR after Lionhead shut down and talked about that recruitment opportunity when they knew they be shutting down Evolution shortly. As a huge Sony and Playstation fan, I'm pretty disappointed in them right now. Again, it's hard to make a full judgement without knowing all the details, but this closing really sucks.

 

[Apathy]

Hopefully the ND delays don't affect them too, multiple delays looks iffy.

Haha, funny joke. ND is a studio that can do anything it really wants short of actually burning money in Kaz's office

 

[entremet]

Probably going indie.

 

[Glix]

If you don't mind indie games, arcade racers are kind of hanging on in that space.
GRIP, Distance, Krautscape, Redout, Formula Fusion, Drift Stage, the planned Burnout 3 successor, Drive Drive Drive, 90's Arcade Racer

Actually Formula Fusion is from ex-Studio Liverpool devs

Fast Racing Neo too!!!!! Its fantastic!

 

[tusken77]

 

[Killing_Joke]

God dammit. I know DC turned out great but there was no fanbase from the jump. Should have started with a low budget kick ass Motorstorm launch title. Then focus on something ambitious.

 

[Azure Phoenix]

Really is sad that the racing/driving genre has become unsustainable within a single console generation (granted, one that lasted longer than expected).

We've lost:

BlackRock Studios
Bizaare Creations
Evolution Studios
Sega Racing Studio
Studio Liverpool
EA Black Box
Criterion were restructured

some others I've forgotten to list probably!

and Codemasters are struggling, despite holding one of the most mass-market friendly racing IP (F1, Rally). Bugbear too - after Ridge Racer Unbounded they've had to resort to a crowdfunded game, they had no shortage of work to do before then with PSP ports and Flatout.

God, just looking at that list is depressing as hell. A number of those devs (Sega Racing Studio, Bizarre, Black Rock) created my favourite racing games of last gen (Sega Rally, PGR4, Pure). And now the Motorstorm Apocalypse guys have gone too. I'm also not sure what has happened to Eden Games after Test Drive Unlimited 2 flopped, and the Ridge Racer franchise seems to be dead and buried after the barebones Vita release.

The thing is, I'm not sure that the market for these games has even disappeared. Forza seems to have sucked up the entire market and become the only racing game that average gamers buy each year, kinda like CoD did to the FPS genre for a few years. Before Forza went annual the closest we had to that in the racing genre was Gran Turismo, but they were always a huge event that occurred every few years so there was plenty of room for other titles to fill the gaps.

 

[Oneself]

Yeah My favourite genre is seemingly done and dusted now, unless you want to make it open-world (which I despise in racing games)

This makes me sad... back around the PS2 days with the amazing Burnout franchise (and especially early PS3 with MS), I had high hopes for the genre. The future was bright and full of amazing graphics and car deformation with crazy realistic physics, mud, snow, super detailed cars.

=(

 

[nOoblet16]

So ALL the Liverpool (or around) based studios are now dead. Evolution, Bizzare Creations, Studio Liverpool.
And all of them were full of talented people.

 

[ShamePain]

And now Sony will only have PD who take couple decades to release a game. Not a big fan of Driveclub, but I'm always sad to see a racing studio shut down, so few of them out there.

 

[blastprocessor]

One thing Sony need to ask themselves is what is the reason to buy a PlayStation in future when there are less and less first party studios?

It's the only reason l bought a PS3/4.