Raven, the developer behind Singularity and the Soldier of Fortune series, has been hit with layoffs today, according to Kotaku.
The reason for the layoffs: “With the recent completion of Singularity, Raven Software is realigning its workforce to better reflect the studio’s upcoming slate”, according to parent company Activision.
Seems fair enough right? Nope, it gets worse.
According to Kotaku’s sources, the reason for the cut was to refocus “their energies on downloadable content”. Raven Software, who once stood tall with three development studios, is now relegated to making DLC for somebody else’s games. Call of Duty: Black Ops is going to be one of these games.
They are going the way of Neversoft, which is now basically Studio Sweatshop Guitar Hero, and that is absolutely heart-breaking.
Possibly the saddest part is their most recent release, Singularity, received very little marketing and was practically left to die upon release. It must be devastating to spend 2-3 years of your life on a game, only to see the publisher abandon it.
Our condolences to all the axed employees, we wish you well and hope you find a new home soon.
Last Updated: October 12, 2010
aussious
October 13, 2010 at 07:33
if i was bungie i would have stuck with microsoft,the way that activision manages their third and first party studios is highly questionable.