38 Studios Lays Off Entire Staff

[Vober]

http://www.gamebreaker.tv/mmorpg/38-studios-the-end/

News just broke a few minutes ago

Trying to get some more info but nothing else has been posted.

[Caiada]

Well, hell, that's some awful news. KoA was a great game and Copernicus was looking even better.

Good luck to all the people affected.

[Edge-]

Hopefully some of those guys found work at Turbines job fair a bit ago. Sad to see a studio (two actually) close down, especially with so much talent. Good luck to the rest of them.

[Awakar]

Sad but not surprising in the least. When you have trouble paying your employees and are bouncing checks that you're giving to the government, it's just a matter of time. They made the mistake of trying to make an MMO. We've seen that kill better-funded and established companies. It's such a gamble that if you're gonna take it, you better be ready. 38 was never even close to ready.
Didn't help that Amalur didn't do as well as they hoped, but it still sold a decent amount of copies at least.

[Poppincaps]

Damn that really sucks. KoA wasn't the best game, but it proved that the studio had some promise. Hopefully these guys will get jobs at another great company.

[Fencers]

Sad but not surprising in the least. When you have trouble paying your employees and are bouncing checks that you're giving to the government, it's just a matter of time. They made the mistake of trying to make an MMO. We've seen that kill better-funded and established companies. It's such a gamble that if you're gonna take it, you better be ready. 38 was never even close to ready.
Didn't help that Amalur didn't do as well as they hoped, but it still sold a decent amount of copies at least.

Fully agree here.

MMOs are risky and perhaps the most expensive genre to work within.

[Profyrion]

Yikes.

Is anyone else confirming the story?

[Edge-]

Yikes.

Is anyone else confirming the story?

It's already confirmed by a number of their staff and a copy of the internal e-mail telling everyone today was their last day. They didn't bother telling anyone that their health care insurance policy was lapsing either. So much shadyness going on. I want to know what the hell happened : /

[frequency]

It's already confirmed by a number of their staff and a copy of the internal e-mail telling everyone today was their last day. They didn't bother telling anyone that their health care insurance policy was lapsing either. So much shadyness going on. I want to know what the hell happened : /

Schilling was broke and begging for tax credits - http://www2.turnto10.com/business/20...ts-ar-1045311/

[ptwonline]

The more I hear about this the more I am outraged over how Schilling ran this company, screwed his employees, and screwed the taxpayers of Rhode Island. What a total prick. He didn't warn his employees about the problems, he didn't warn the state (who gave him so much financing for this venture), and it looks like he even failed to pay health care premiums so his employees won't even qualify for COBRA.

http://www.brokentoys.org/2012/05/25...he-music-died/

[Affixiation]

All the best to the former employees and their families, just reading all this info sickens me greatly.
KoA was a fun game, but they should never have begun development on an mmo especially as a new company.

[Edge-]

All the best to the former employees and their families, just reading all this info sickens me greatly.
KoA was a fun game, but they should never have begun development on an mmo especially as a new company.

The MMO was the initial game being developed if I remember correctly. KoA:R came afterwards when they realized how long it would take to make the MMO.

[Moritsume]

Guess we're not getting that KoA dlc >_>

[lokithor]

I actually just heard about this on ESPN. I knew they were asking for help from the state, but didn't think they would fold this fast.

Kinda makes me wonder in an odd way if they would have been fine if they never aligned themselves with EA for KoA

[Edge-]

Kinda makes me wonder in an odd way if they would have been fine if they never aligned themselves with EA for KoA

Has nothing to do with EA, it has to do with their terrible internal finances.

[lokithor]

Has nothing to do with EA, it has to do with their terrible internal finances.

my point is if they never would ave associated themselves with EA, then they would have possibly had more profits.

[Spurmwhale]

looks like they paid way too much for big names like Todd Mcfarlane, RA Salvatore, etc. and thats just for writing, nevermind all of the other aspects of creating one. they probably had to have WoW type of success to even make their money back. can't really blame Schilling for not paying the health insurance, bouncing government tax checks, or whatever since that probably means he was vested into the project to his last dime. If he's still living large and wealthy then sure blame him.

[Kulanae]

The more I hear about this the more I am outraged over how Schilling ran this company, screwed his employees, and screwed the taxpayers of Rhode Island. What a total prick. He didn't warn his employees about the problems, he didn't warn the state (who gave him so much financing for this venture), and it looks like he even failed to pay health care premiums so his employees won't even qualify for COBRA.

http://www.brokentoys.org/2012/05/25...he-music-died/

There's an old expression in the business world....."fake it, until you make it." 38 Studios was out seeking venture capital to keep going. They certainly weren't going to get any investors sounding like the captain of the Titanic now were they?

It's a shame such a promissing game will never likely see the light of day.

[Irony]

my point is if they never would ave associated themselves with EA, then they would have possibly had more profits.

If they hadn't of associated themselves with EA, the game would of never been released.

[Pancaspe]

It is time for the industry to concede the MMO genre to Blizzard. They do it better than anybody, and have the money to develope it properly.