It’s a sad day for game developers today, as Activision’s UK-based studio, Bizarre Creations, is rumored to have been completely shut down this afternoon.
Bizarre's Blur was an excellent game that didn't sell well.
Studio sources told Develop that the team, who developed the Project Gotham Racing series along with Geometry Wars, Blur and the recent Blood Stone James Bond game, has put 200 staff on three months’ notice.
The rumor has been spreading very quickly via Twitter, with gamers, journalists and developers alike expressing surprise and disappointment at the news. There are also some rather negative emotional responses to Activision, too, with some blaming the company’s desire to make money at all costs for the closure of the studio. Bizarre’s most recent games, Blur and 007: Blood Stone have enjoyed only modest sales, and Blood Stone is likely suffering from its fairly average review scores (63-66 on Metacritic)
Official confirmation is still yet to come, but if the rumor turns out to be true, it’s a sad day for gaming indeed. Bizarre Creations have been a beloved fixture of the UK games industry ever since the release of Metropolis Street Racer, spiritual predecessor to Project Gotham, on the Dreamcast. Geometry Wars is one of the most well-known and loved Xbox LIVE Arcade titles, and successfully made the jump to a number of other platforms, including Wii, iPhone and iPad. And Blur, despite poor sales, proved that Call of Duty-style persistent multiplayer can really work in other genres.
Activision purchased Bizarre Creations back in 2008. Their first retail title for the company was Blur. Both Blur and 007: Blood Stone are, it seems, looking like commercial failures to Activision. Is this a case of “on the third strike you’re out?”
More on this story as it happens. We at Games are Evil wish all the best to members of the Bizarre team and their families.
UPDATE: Startup technology company Turbulenz are interested in talking to members of Bizarre Creations regarding hiring. Hopefully they’ll land on their feet. (source)
ANOTHER UPDATE: According to PC Gamer, the same has also happened to Activision subsidiary Budcat Creations, responsible for some of the recent Guitar and Band Hero titles.
UPDATE THE THIRD: Activision released an official comment to ShackNews:
Over the past three years since our purchase of Bizarre Creations, the fundamentals of the racing genre have changed significantly. Although we made a substantial investment in creating a new IP, Blur, it did not find a commercial audience. Bizarre is a very talented team of developers, however, because of the broader economic factors impacting the market, we are exploring our options regarding the future of the studio, including a potential sale of the business.
So it looks possible that Bizarre may be sold rather than shut down entirely. There is no word, as yet, on the fate of Budcat Creations.
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