BREAKING: Massive lay offs at Prototype developer

Around half the staff at Radical Entertainment have lost their jobs.

The Vancouver Sun reports that Vancouver-based video game developer Radical Entertainment is to lay off around 100 employees, equating to approximately half its work force.

The cut-backs come as a decision by Activision Blizzard to half Radical Entertainment's video game output.

[RadientFlux]

All Hail Activision the new EA

[Mr_Showtime1]

Damn Straight.

Hope this doesn't effect Prototype too badly.

[mistertwoturbo]

If you guys haven't noticed, the U.S. economy isn't exactly booming. Lay offs are happening at multiple companies.

There was already 2 sets of layoffs at my company. Was $400 million in revenue. Now it's down to $250 million a year. Intel, Infineon, Samsung, etc. etc. just aren't buying because they are also suffering from the economy.

So don't be too quick to point fingers at Activision because they have to make tough decisions.

[slapsta72]

dont think it will, article made it sound like its the people working on the two canned games that lost their jobs. im guessing the prototype and crash teams remain intact. prototype has potential, hate to think activision / blizzard would jeopradize it

[mikeslemonade]

Prototype is basically a finished project. It was never supposed to be a great game anyway.

[legendkilla]

last time i checked Vancouver was in Canada not the US....

[mistertwoturbo]

lol my bad, missed that one.

Either way, lay offs just don't happen just because they feel like it. There's probably some good reasons for it.

[truncheon]

problems in the us economy have worldwide repercussions. Canadian dollars usta be worth half a US dollar, making it a great outsourcing opportunity for US companies. now the currencies are pretty even.

notice how the last few years Ubi has been opening studios in China and Eastern Europe? keeping those development costs down increases profit. don't get me wrong, i love montreal, but rent and salaries are much lower in Shanghai.

[MikeGdaGod]

they need to layoff the game. looks horrible to me

[orakga]

you're right, but when a studio is part of a much bigger umbrella company like EA/A-B, those employees are far more expendable. if it was your own studio and the economy was truly squeezing your balls, you would try *harder* not to resort to the same kind of "aww fvck it, fire half the people!" kind of decisions. you'd cut at most 30% or so...

then again... the studios are equally responsible for everything that happens. afterall, they took the money when "selling" their studio.

[BiggDaddy311]

Maybe you can explain to me how Activision/Blizzard are on hard times when WoW generates 100 million a month for the company alone, COD4 is the #1 selling game of 2007 and 08, not to mention Guitar Hero sales.

I know that the economy is down, I am blessed to have a great job. But the video game industry is projected to sell 22 billion this year, which is up 5-10% from last year. So Acti/Blizz aren't hurtin for business I can promise you.

My point is that it is obvious Ghostbusters and Brutal Legend are going to move product, so those games probably won't lose money if you publish them, (more so I think than Spyro in my opionion). It is my assumption that they are doing this not because of a down economy, but for a strategy to maximise their profits. I have no problem with that, but just don't make Activision look like they are a poor struggling company on hard times, because I promise you they are not. They have come up with a corporate vision and they are trying to make the company more profitable, bottom line. I don't feel bad for the laid off developers bc if they are smart they will go out and create there own independent studio, that is how studios are created.

[Dmack79]

Oh well, I wonder what the guys over at Sucker Punch think about this. I mean, inFamous could end up dominating Prototype now.

[Shane Kim]

Was thinking the same thing. Anyways, InFamous looks 10 times better than this game.

[Pain]

To be better then the XBOX 2 Hold back by miles.

[morganfell]

inFamous was ALREADY dominating protohype.

[Ashta]

****!!!!

This game had better not get canned. Prototype has been on my gaming radar ever since its announcement and I've been dying for it to be released. I was already pretty well pissed when they delayed the game and talked about "putting multiplayer back in it". Not EVERY game has to have multiplayer damnit!

Either way this had better not mean the game is starting to find a grave to fall in to.

[Truplaya]

they better not cancel PROTOTYPE, its my most anticipated open world game. It makes inFAMOUS look quite boring and makes Mercs2 look tame.

I cant wait for it, but from what i saw it looked nearly finished, so hopefully it still gets released.

[Time_Is_On_My_Side]

lol, I'd like to hold you on that comment because of the fact Infamous is using the full Blu-ray disc. Prototype can't be no bigger than Grand Theft Auto IV due to the XBOX 360 DVD9.

[Filet of Children]

Yeah. And the size of the medium used correlates directly to how good the game is.

You know, obviously.

That's why every single game on the PS3 has been better than, say, Shadow of the Colossus.

*rolls eyes*

[Truplaya]

We'll see if INfamous is as fun as this when they are both out. From what ive seen inFAMOUS invovles you having electrical powers PROTOTYPE you are a shape shifter with some crazy alien powers. I know which sounds more fun to me.

Just coz a games uses a whole Bluray doesnt instantly mean it will be good. And the fact a game is on a DVD9 doesnt make it bad either.

[SixTwoTwo]

Yeah well Sucker Punch have proven they can make awesome games (Sly Cooper series anyone?). The list of games developed by Radical Entertainment is mediocre at best.

[mistertwoturbo]

Protoype has an excellent concept. But after seeing the super unpolished video it didn't look that good.

Infamous on the other hand looks better every new video that has come out. And they've still got a long way to go before finishing production.

[IzKyD1331]

tell me this isnt impressive

[dachiefsman]

not impressed. Crackdown explosions were just as big. Don't get me wrong infamous will probably be fun, but its nothing NEW.

EDIT: on topic: this is one game I have been waiting for. They better not f' it up.

[Figboy]

"truplaya," i work at Vivendi (now Activision, but i can't bring myself to call them that), and i got to see Prototype on a DAILY BASIS.

inFamous walks circles, miles, decades around Prototype in EVERY AREA. from animation, to gameplay, to story and setting. and i've only seen 12 minutes of inFamous, and read a few interviews about it.

there's a big difference in quality between a developer that has ONE slightly above average game under it's belt (ie, the Prototype devs made Hulk: Ultimate Destruction; fun, but not groundbreaking. no pun intended), and a developer with a solid pedigree in terms of level design, character, concept, animation, and gameplay as a whole (ie, Sucker Punch, with the Sly Cooper series).

the fact that Sucker Punch has Sony's millions personally backing the title is a GOOD thing, whereas Prototype is just another game in Activision's roster.

with that said, i'm actually looking forward to Prototype, and i'm hoping that this delay has brought about improvements in the title, because i've been following it since i first heard about it.

just because i think inFamous is better, doesn't mean i want it to be the ONLY mature "superhero" game out there.

[meepmoopmeep]

oh damn, hope the game is in good shape.

[kevnb]

I hope everything turns out well.

[Fishy Fingers]

Terrible. I've heard of trimming the fat but this is a huge number of redundances. Seems no one under the new Activision Blizzard wing is safe.

I hope Prototype isn't effected badly or dare I say canned.

[jay2]

Bye Prototype RIP.

[Common Sense]

of inFamous.

[gamesblow]

I got actual hands on time with this game and it isn't looking good. It was very sloppy and choppy to say the very least. Infamous is looking to be the better game, with the only real hang up I can see being the target system in it. Infamous also allows for better animations for each individual, although not a graphical master piece it was about two car lengths better than what I was able to play of Prototype.

[Bazookajoe_83]

It looks better, but prototype could still be a good game...

[dachiefsman]

well I hope their is more to the game play in Infamous than what I have seen. Lightening out of your hands is cool, but could get boring after a while. Prototype on the other hand has some sick moves. Human skateboard? what else is there to say?

[PsYcHoToE1]

mistertwoturbo wrote:

If you guys haven't noticed, the U.S. economy isn't exactly booming. Lay offs are happening at multiple companies.

There was already 2 sets of layoffs at my company. Was $400 million in revenue. Now it's down to $250 million a year. Intel, Infineon, Samsung, etc. etc. just aren't buying because they are also suffering from the economy.

So don't be too quick to point fingers at Activision because they have to make tough decisions.
============================= ==============================

This is true we are heading for another recession. There have been layoffs left right and center in canada.

[PimpHandStrong]

and it looked like pounded dog sh!t!

along with it looking boring and run of the mill

maybe they seen what i seen.....a game that sucks and will flop

[PimpHandStrong]

This is true we are heading for another recession.

no dude America has been in a recession for over two years! Just because the big wigs dont say it doesnt mean its not true!

[Meresin]

Sad. That game just totally fell off my list of must-buys. Its quality can't possibly be good if they're cutting that many people during development.

[thekingofMA]

i think most of the people who were layed off had something to do with the other 2 games that Radical was developing, as it says only Prototype and Crash were keepers

so the Prototype devs should be okay-obviously there are some people at the studio working on several games including Prototype and got layed off, but hopefully the quality of Prototype will remain intact

[Forbidden_Darkness]

Activision isnt doing anything but digging itself a hole. The gaming side of the economy hasnt really slowed down to much in the US, so thats not to blame, its activisions fault.

[Dark General]

I believe. I've been listening to the 1up podcast a lot recently and every time Prototype is brought up (or BlizzardVision) they are surprised it hasn't been canned. They have been pretty adamant about saying that it didn't look good each time they see it or play the game. Specially considering that they are dropping Brutal Legend and the Ghostbusters game.

[hano]

Lately EA has been generous to their developers and giving them freedom.
Activision, those pieces of crap don't know a good developer, Prototype should have given them the cue to keep the studio intact.