Activision Swings the Axe At Two Studios

[DoctorFinger]

While the absolute deluge of studio closings which inundated the gaming industry earlier this year has subsided, it's still a rough time to be a game developer. That was illustrated starkly today when Activision swung the axe today at a pair of their wholly owned development houses, resulting in one closure and one developer losing half of it's headcount.

First up is 7 Studios, the developer made famous in the kerfuffle surrounding their acquisition by Activision and a subsequent series of lawsuits surrounding the product they were working on at the time, Scratch: The Ultimate DJ. Reportedly after only six months in the fold, the publishing giant is laying off about 30 workers at the studio, which amounts to half of the staff.

Also facing the axe is developer Shaba Games, which has reportedly been shut down by Activision. The studio was best known for the recent Spider-Man: Web of Shadows, as well as a number of ancillary Tony Hawk games. Again about 30 employees are looking for work due to these layoffs.

Sources - Kotaku; Kotaku; Gamesindustry.

[Narradisall]

Can this be an Acti-evil thread, yes?

[Heretic Machine]

Spider-Man: Web of Shadowsp

Sign on to work at a shovelware studio owned by Activision, and this is what you are going to get.

[Savok]

Oh come on, Web of Shadows was decent. It had many flaws, this is true, but it was good fun, second half of the game gets crazy as well.

Better then Halo fucking 3, guess Spidey needs to be a space marine to be loved.

[AgtFox]

The funny thing is they are attributing these cuts to the poor sales of Guitar Hero 5. Yeah, when you keep brow beating us with a Guitar Hero game every couple months chances are sales will eventually lower because people aren't going to pay $60 for every GH or GH-like (DJ Hero, Band Hero) game.

And Web of Shadows was a fun game. It wasn't superb, but it was probably the best Spider-Man game since Spider-Man 2.

[total]

Originally Posted by AgtFox

And Web of Shadows was a fun game. It wasn't superb, but it was probably the best Spider-Man game since Spider-Man 2.

Damn that was a good game. Now I am going to have to go play it again.

[Goronmon]

Not a surprise considering how poor the economy is doing and will continue to do.

[Psykoboy2]

Really sad to hear about Shaba. Web Of Shadows was one of those silent hits. I mean, seriously, give it a try if you can. It's really very good.

[Talanvor]

Hey DocFinger, your link to Kotaku about the Studio 7 layoffs is busted.

It's amazing how anyone manages to survive as a dev in the game industry. Make a game, game goes gold, get laid off. Rinse, repeat!

[Kelegacy]

Originally Posted by AgtFox

The funny thing is they are attributing these cuts to the poor sales of Guitar Hero 5. Yeah, when you keep brow beating us with a Guitar Hero game every couple months chances are sales will eventually lower because people aren't going to pay $60 for every GH or GH-like (DJ Hero, Band Hero) game.

Really, sales haven't been that good for GH5? That's AWESOME.

I have been waiting for the bubble to burst for this genre (and especially GH). I hope this is the start of it. But I doubt it. Beatles was too much of a hit.

Blah.

[AgtFox]

Originally Posted by Kelegacy

Really, sales haven't been that good for GH5? That's AWESOME.

I have been waiting for the bubble to burst for this genre (and especially GH). I hope this is the start of it. But I doubt it. Beatles was too much of a hit.

Blah.

What do you mean Beatles was a hit? It was outsold in the UK by Guitar Hero 5 and the numbers here aren't out quite yet.

As for sales not being good of GH5. It depends on what Activision was hoping for with sales versus actual sales. Rock Band 2 is a good example since MTV thought it would sell more than it did. It was still a success, just not at the level they were planning. I think GH5 can be lumped in that category.

I think this will be a bad year for Activision in their projected sales ideas. DJ Hero may come close since I think people may be interested in the newer play style. Things like Tony Hawk RIDE and Band Hero? No way. I also think they might be over projecting Modern Warfare 2 sales (they want it to beat Halo 3 sales and profit), although it will sell multi-million.

[Deadend]

What did Activision buy 7 Studios for anyhow? Just to make sure that DJ Hero had no competition?

Web of Shadows had some really cool combat moves and fights. I wish Activision had given them something else to do.. maybe make a good solid action game.. but nope.

What I don't get is why Neversoft didn't shrink, they made the Guitar Hero 5, and they haven't made a unique game since Gun, then before that was Spider-man.

Fuck Activision and their culture of Fear or whatever the line is.

[Shjinta]

Honestly.. I seriously hope Activision Gets horrible sales this year. I fucking hope MW2 flops(Which sadly it won't)

[ElektroDragon]

Originally Posted by Psykoboy2

Really sad to hear about Shaba. Web Of Shadows was one of those silent hits. I mean, seriously, give it a try if you can. It's really very good.

I agree... best Spider Man game I've played so far.... suffered from terrible marketing though.

[JayVe]

Originally Posted by Deadend

What did Activision buy 7 Studios for anyhow? Just to make sure that DJ Hero had no competition?

Sadly, this makes the most sense of any reason. Buy the competition and dismantle it before they can be a threat. Take anything worth salving, and absorb it into the overall company. Discard the rest.

Sounds Borg, don't it?

[Zanzibar]

Originally Posted by AgtFox

The funny thing is they are attributing these cuts to the poor sales of Guitar Hero 5.

This 'they' you speak of consists of one guy who has no idea. Hell, *I* know what went down, and it has nothing to do with GH5 sales.

[Wilkz07]

Agreed. Web of Shadows was one of the best Spidey games since the first two outings back on PS1.

Is scratch: Ultimate DJ still coming out? I'm now leaning towards skipping MW2 for now until after christmas when all the little kids who get it for xmas are back at school.

[J Arcane]

What did Activision buy 7 Studios for anyhow? Just to make sure that DJ Hero had no competition?

That's exactly why they bought it, and why they're being sued over it. I wonder how canning half the staff is going to look in court.

[Ravenlock]

Agree with the people saying it's sad about Shaba Games. Web of Shadows wasn't spectacular, but it was good, which is high praise for a superhero game.

I mean, true, we've had some standouts recently like X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Batman: Arkham Asylum, and WoS wasn't in that camp, but it was head and shoulders above stuff like Iron Man and the most recent Hulk attempt.

[crazyD]

Originally Posted by Psykoboy2

Really sad to hear about Shaba. Web Of Shadows was one of those silent hits. I mean, seriously, give it a try if you can. It's really very good.

I wouldn't go that far. I'd say it's probably better than you think it is if you haven't played it, but not by much. There is a lot wrong with the game, and not a lot right, but it still manages to be fairly entertaining for the most part.