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Activision is the new EA: Brutal Legend, Ghostbusters, 50 Cent canned?

B:LB:L I've done worse.Registered User regular
edited November 2008 in Games and Technology
http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/28/blizzavision-keeps-crash-spyro-ice-age-prototype-loses-bruta/
One of the major outstanding questions surrounding the Activision Blizzard merger was: "What the hell is going to happen to Vivendi's other video game division, Sierra?" The new super-publisher announced it will be keeping five of Sierra's franchises total: Crash Bandicoot, Ice Age, Spyro, the still-in-development Prototype, and another as-yet-unannounced title. We're currently looking into the fate of Sierra's other publishing arrangements: Tim Schafer's Brütal Legend (oh, Brütal Legend, we're so sorry!), Ghostbusters: The Video Game, WET, and Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena.

Activision Blizzard is also reviewing Sierra's other properties that they will not be publishing: think Bourne, 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand, World in Conflict, et al. Activision Publishing CEO Mike Griffith says, "We are reviewing our options regarding those titles that we will not be publishing." Those games won't be published by Blizzavision because they're not "a strong fit with [Activision Blizzard's] long-term product strategy." No word on the fate of Sierra's classic adventure games like King's Quest, Leisure Suit Larry, etc.

As for the status of Sierra's in-house developers, Blizzavision will "realign staffing at Radical Entertainment and High Moon Studios" – the developers of Prototype and The Bourne Conspiracy respectively – while "exploring options regarding Massive Entertainment and Swordfish Studios" – the devs behind World in Conflict and 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand, respectively. Those "options" include "the possibility of divestiture." Also potentially up for sale: Vivendi Games Mobile and Sierra Online, the latter notably responsible for a large amount of XBLA and PSN games. More on this story as it inevitably unfolds.



tl;dr:

Activision keeping:
Crash Bandicoot franchise
Ice Age franchise
Spyro franchise
Prototype
An Unannounced Title

Activision killing:
Tim Schafer's Brutal Legend
Ghostbusters: The Video Game
WET
Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena
The Bourne license
50 Cent: Blood on the Sand
and others



Personal opinion:
NOOO not Blood on the Sand!!! :cry:

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B:L on
«1345

Posts

  • CouscousCouscous Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    As far as I know, Brutal Legend can find another publisher, and I think that the developer owns the rights to Chronicles of Riddick and can also find another developer.

    If you want to know what games the studios that possibly could be closed down or sold made:
    As part of the drive for increased efficiency, Activision will "realign" staff at Radical Entertainment (Prototype, Crash of the Titans) and High Moon Studios (The Bourne Conspiracy, Darkwatch). As for their sister subsidiaries Massive Entertainment (World in Conflict, Ground Control) and Swordfish Studios (50 Cent: Blood on the Sand, Cold Winter), Activision is "exploring options," including the sale or closing of the outfits.

    The future is similarly uncertain for Sierra Online (Assault Heroes 2) and Vivendi Games Mobile (Prison Break, Cake Mania 2). The publisher deemed them "non-strategic business units" and said it is exploring the possibility of closing or selling them as well.

    Couscous on
  • B:LB:L I've done worse. Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    titmouse wrote: »
    As far as I know, Brutal Legend can find another publisher, and I think that the developer owns the rights to Chronicles of Riddick and can also find another developer.

    Yeah they can.

    But it's still a setback.

    B:L on
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  • eelektrikeelektrik Southern CaliforniaRegistered User regular
    edited July 2008
    If they close down Massive Entertainment though, someone needs to shove a guitar controller up the CEOs ass.

    eelektrik on
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  • randombattlerandombattle Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    This doesn't really mean a lot. All they said is they aren't publishing them. I'm pretty sure they can find another publisher.

    randombattle on
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  • mrsnackroadmrsnackroad Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    B:L wrote: »
    Activision killing:
    Ghostbusters: The Video Game


    Nobody can convince me this world is worth living in any more.

    mrsnackroad on
  • DehumanizedDehumanized Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    The Ghostbusters game looked good.

    Everybody, everywhere should mourn the loss of 50 Cent: Blood On The Sand. That made for a hilarious thread a few months back.

    Dehumanized on
  • SheepSheep Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    edited July 2008
    I don't see how Ghostbuster's would be picked up by one of the other big players.

    Sheep on
  • CouscousCouscous Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    This doesn't really mean a lot. All they said is they aren't publishing them. I'm pretty sure they can find another publisher.

    They pretty much admit in the article that they are going to downsize, close, or sell some of the development studios they own.

    Couscous on
  • DarkDragoonDarkDragoon Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    If Ghostbusters is canned, I will never buy anything that Activision is involved with ever again. Even the stuff from Blizzard's side.

    IT TOOK 20 GODDAMNED YEARS FOR BILL MURRAY TO AGREE TO WORKING WITH THE SERIES AGAIN. YOU DO NOT CANCEL THIS, ACTIVISION.

    DarkDragoon on
  • B:LB:L I've done worse. Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    titmouse wrote: »
    This doesn't really mean a lot. All they said is they aren't publishing them. I'm pretty sure they can find another publisher.

    They pretty much admit in the article that they are going to downsize, close, or sell some of the development studios they own.

    We should keep optimistic about this. The titles are in limbo (of the lost) right now, but these are pretty big titles...

    ...right?


    http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/brutallegend/news.html?sid=6195113
    Earlier today, Activision Publishing announced a streamlining of its Vivendi Games operations, saying it would be bringing into the fold five of that company's franchises: Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon, Ice Age, Prototype, and one unannounced game.

    An Activision representative later confirmed for GameSpot that those would be the only Vivendi Games franchises coming out of the publisher. That leaves a number of high-profile projects in limbo, including Double Fine Productions' Brutal Legend, as well as Wet, Ghostbusters, Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena, World at Conflict: Soviet Assault, 50 Cent Blood on the Sand, Zombie Wranglers, Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust, as well as several Xbox Live Arcade titles.

    "The only franchises that Activision Publishing will release are based on Crash Bandicoot, Ice Age and Spyro, as well as Prototype and one other game that has not yet been announced," the representative said. "We are reviewing our options regarding those titles that we will not be publishing."

    Activision Blizzard has other publishing arms like Blizzard Entertainment and Activision Value that were not covered by the press release and could be among the options being reviewed. As of press time, representatives from those companies did not return requests for comment.

    A scheduled Comic Con International panel on the Ghostbusters game was abruptly cancelled last week, with no explanation given to attendees. However, the game was on the show floor in playable form.

    B:L on
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  • PharezonPharezon Struggle is an illusion. Victory is in the Qun.Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    What the hell? Don't close down Massive Entertainment :x

    Pharezon on
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  • SpoitSpoit *twitch twitch* Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    What are the odds that EA will come to the rescue?

    Spoit on
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  • CouscousCouscous Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Activision Blizzard has other publishing arms like Blizzard Entertainment and Activision Value that were not covered by the press release and could be among the options being reviewed. As of press time, representatives from those companies did not return requests for comment.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_assets_owned_by_Vivendi#Video_games
    Activision Value is a subsidiary brand of Activision, a merger of Expert Software and Head Games Publishing, with offices located in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis.

    As its name implies, Value is the publisher of budget titles for Activision. Its most prominent titles are the Cabela's line of hunting and fishing-related games, and the World Series of Poker.
    That isn't going to be publishing anything of value from the looks of it. Red Octane only publishes Guitar Hero games. I think that leaves Blizzard.

    Couscous on
  • DrovekDrovek Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Brutal Legend...

    What the heck, Activision? What the heck?

    Drovek on
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  • -SPI--SPI- Osaka, JapanRegistered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Brutal legend? The World in Conflict expansion!?

    At least prototype seems to be safe (and the only non-shovelware they're keeping) but I've been waiting so long for that WiC expansion! I just hope massive makes it through this intact.

    -SPI- on
  • DaedalusDaedalus Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    If Brutal Legend never sees a release, people will die.

    Daedalus on
  • Recoil42Recoil42 Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    We already knew this, really. Activision has been heading down the road of EA circa 2001-2004 for quite a while. See: Endless sequelitis, movie franchise obsession. There's even been a couple developer complaints of them being hard to work with.

    This is just one of the many signs we've had so far.



    I think they'll rebound, though. Like EA, they're a good company, with good foundations. They've just strayed from the path a little.

    Spoit wrote: »
    What are the odds that EA will come to the rescue?

    EA will *definitely* pick up Brutal Legend, given the chance. Mark my words.

    We'll here from Tim Schaefer about it soon enough, anyways.

    Recoil42 on
  • One Thousand CablesOne Thousand Cables An absence of thought Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    I wouldn't worry about Ghostbusters--it's a big enough franchise that somebody will pick it up.

    Brutal Legend, though....

    Edit: Actually, Recoil might have the right idea. I could see EA picking up BL. If not them, who else, though? My money's on MTV Games.

    One Thousand Cables on
  • darunia106darunia106 J-bob in games Death MountainRegistered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Not Brutal Legend!

    I never get enough of Tim Schafer's creative genius...

    darunia106 on
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  • MinionOfCthulhuMinionOfCthulhu Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Daedalus wrote: »
    If Brutal Legend never sees a release, people will die.

    You and me, man. We'll raise hell.

    MinionOfCthulhu on
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  • Kuribo's ShoeKuribo's Shoe Kuribo's Stocking North PoleRegistered User regular
    edited July 2008
    I could see EA picking up any of these, really

    Kuribo's Shoe on
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  • DaedalusDaedalus Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Daedalus wrote: »
    If Brutal Legend never sees a release, people will die.

    You and me, man. We'll raise hell.

    You and me? Fuck that, Schafer will be in Activision Blizzard's boardroom with a broadaxe. He's been waiting to do BR since, like, Monkey Island.

    Daedalus on
  • CouscousCouscous Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    I could see EA picking up any of these, really

    I can't see EA picking any of the ones developed by the Activision-Blizzard.

    Couscous on
  • Kuribo's ShoeKuribo's Shoe Kuribo's Stocking North PoleRegistered User regular
    edited July 2008
    titmouse wrote: »
    I could see EA picking up any of these, really

    I can't see EA picking any of the ones developed by the Activision-Blizzard.

    well yes besides those

    Kuribo's Shoe on
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  • Xenogears of BoreXenogears of Bore Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    As long as Brutal Legend dies the ignoble death it so richy deserves then I will bow before my new gods at Actiblizzon. I'll replace Pimpuchi with I dunno, Pimp GH man? Pimp Thrall? Pimp Tony Hawk!

    Xenogears of Bore on
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  • redfield85redfield85 Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    So that is why the Ghostbusters panel at Comic-Con was canceled. I was wondering wtf was up when they had the board in front of the door with the panels and the Ghostbusters one not happening.

    redfield85 on
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  • TripKMATripKMA Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Who... who ya gonna call now? :cry:

    TripKMA on
  • DaedalusDaedalus Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    As long as Brutal Legend dies the ignoble death it so richy deserves then I will bow before my new gods at Actiblizzon. I'll replace Pimpuchi with I dunno, Pimp GH man? Pimp Thrall? Pimp Tony Hawk!

    20070409380pxzm7.jpg

    Daedalus on
  • CouscousCouscous Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    redfield85 wrote: »
    So that is why the Ghostbusters panel at Comic-Con was canceled. I was wondering wtf was up when they had the board in front of the door with the panels and the Ghostbusters one not happening.

    They had the game playable on the floor. I wonder what will become of the Wii, PS2, and DS versions.

    Couscous on
  • CouscousCouscous Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    http://gonintendo.com/?p=50824
    Ghostbusters canned? Game tester says no
    The rumor that Ghostbusters is canned is causing quite a stir tonight. I have been contacted by a Vivendi/Sierra tester that wishes to remain anonymous, but they have confirmed that the game has not been canned. I have posted an edited bit from the email below. I have plenty of faith in this person, for reasons I cannot list.

    I work for Vivendi/Sierra games and we test games. …Right now I am currently testing Ghostbusters for the Wii, I also see other people testing for 360/ps3 and the DS version, matter of fact the DS version is almost done.

    There is more to the email, but once again, I cannot post in-order to keep the person’s identity a secret. You’ll just have to take my word that this is on the up-and-up.

    Couscous on
  • B:LB:L I've done worse. Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    titmouse wrote: »
    http://gonintendo.com/?p=50824
    Ghostbusters canned? Game tester says no
    The rumor that Ghostbusters is canned is causing quite a stir tonight. I have been contacted by a Vivendi/Sierra tester that wishes to remain anonymous, but they have confirmed that the game has not been canned. I have posted an edited bit from the email below. I have plenty of faith in this person, for reasons I cannot list.

    I work for Vivendi/Sierra games and we test games. …Right now I am currently testing Ghostbusters for the Wii, I also see other people testing for 360/ps3 and the DS version, matter of fact the DS version is almost done.

    There is more to the email, but once again, I cannot post in-order to keep the person’s identity a secret. You’ll just have to take my word that this is on the up-and-up.

    Little do they know that THEY'RE the ones who are canned.

    B:L on
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  • bloodyroarxxbloodyroarxx Casa GrandeRegistered User regular
    edited July 2008
    B:L wrote: »
    titmouse wrote: »
    http://gonintendo.com/?p=50824
    Ghostbusters canned? Game tester says no
    The rumor that Ghostbusters is canned is causing quite a stir tonight. I have been contacted by a Vivendi/Sierra tester that wishes to remain anonymous, but they have confirmed that the game has not been canned. I have posted an edited bit from the email below. I have plenty of faith in this person, for reasons I cannot list.

    I work for Vivendi/Sierra games and we test games. …Right now I am currently testing Ghostbusters for the Wii, I also see other people testing for 360/ps3 and the DS version, matter of fact the DS version is almost done.

    There is more to the email, but once again, I cannot post in-order to keep the person’s identity a secret. You’ll just have to take my word that this is on the up-and-up.

    Little do they know that THEY'RE the ones who are canned.

    Yea, testers would be the last to know.

    bloodyroarxx on
  • bloodyroarxxbloodyroarxx Casa GrandeRegistered User regular
    edited July 2008
    I have no doubt that:

    Tim Schafer's Brutal Legend
    Ghostbusters: The Video Game
    Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena
    50 Cent: Blood on the Sand

    will all get picked up.

    bloodyroarxx on
  • CouscousCouscous Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Would Activision be willing to allow a company it might see as a competitor publish games its studios made?

    Couscous on
  • bloodyroarxxbloodyroarxx Casa GrandeRegistered User regular
    edited July 2008
    titmouse wrote: »
    Would Activision be willing to allow a company it might see as a competitor publish games its studios made?

    I think all those game's licenses and in the case of Brutal Legend they are all publishing agreements. You can can game and team and someone will just pick it up somewhere else.

    bloodyroarxx on
  • SpoitSpoit *twitch twitch* Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    I might be misreading the article, but I thought that it was about them possibly selling off those development houses

    Spoit on
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  • CymoroCymoro Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    I think I called Activision going down this path a year ago, I'm not sure. They seem to be focusing on major franchise shit that can be pushed out the door real fast (Crash, Spyro, Guitar Hero, Ice Age?) while keeping one or two hardcore titles so they seem like they're doing something.

    I haven't liked them for a while now. As long as they keep giving money to Vicarious Visions to make games, I'm not going to like them any time soon.

    edit: man fuck vicarious visions
    edit2: i'm just going to let my rage out now

    Vicarious Visions' back catalog consists of licensed handheld games. If it's not that, it's a port to a less powerful system. Let's take a look at what they have coming up:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar_Hero:_On_Tour_Decades

    Yes, they have a sequel to a Guitar Hero game that just came out in the last month coming out this fall. Also on the list are Guitar Hero 4 for the Wii, and 007: Quantum of Solace for the DS. All coming out by the end of this year.

    They've been put at the helm of making a GBA version of Jet Set Radio. It was an abomination. Imagine playing JSR on the dreamcast, but an isometric view with tank controls, and you had to make the spraypaint moves with a d-pad.

    They also made every iteration of this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider-Man_3_(video_game)

    Cymoro on
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  • SaddlerSaddler Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    titmouse wrote: »
    http://gonintendo.com/?p=50824
    Ghostbusters canned? Game tester says no
    The rumor that Ghostbusters is canned is causing quite a stir tonight. I have been contacted by a Vivendi/Sierra tester that wishes to remain anonymous, but they have confirmed that the game has not been canned. I have posted an edited bit from the email below. I have plenty of faith in this person, for reasons I cannot list.

    I work for Vivendi/Sierra games and we test games. …Right now I am currently testing Ghostbusters for the Wii, I also see other people testing for 360/ps3 and the DS version, matter of fact the DS version is almost done.

    There is more to the email, but once again, I cannot post in-order to keep the person’s identity a secret. You’ll just have to take my word that this is on the up-and-up.

    Fucking goddamnit, it better not be canceled. Those pencil pushers at Activision better release this.

    Saddler on
  • Fig-DFig-D Tustin, CA, USRegistered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Wow, someone at Acti-vendi-ard is a fucking idiot.

    Seriously, who the hell thought it was a good idea to axe the titles that actually had promise. No, wait, WHAT ENTIRE FUCKING ROOM OF PEOPLE APPROVED THIS. Seriously. What the fuck. "Oh hey we're the world's largest publisher now, quality can suck our nuts. Fuck the consumer, let's focus all of our collective efforts on World of Warcraft and FUCKING SHOVELWARE."

    God damnit.

    Fig-D on
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  • Darth NathanDarth Nathan Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Something tells me that a few of those games will get picked up by other companies. Preview builds of Ghostbusters and 50 Cent, for example, have shown them to be pretty far along in development. I don't think EA or whoever would pass up the opportunity to make a quick buck on those. Unless, of course, ActiBlizz still owns the rights to those games and won't sell them, in which case tough cookies.

    On a related note, I hope to god no one picks up the rights to Brutal Legend. I don't care how much I get flamed for this, that shit and it's creator deserve to die.

    Darth Nathan on
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