Crytek closes numerous studios, will refocus on its core strengths of developing innovative games

Crytek issued today a press release, outlining a series of changes to its future business plans that will see the company refocus on its core strengths of developing innovative games and game-development technology. As part of the changes, Crytek will concentrate on development in its Frankfurt and Kiev studios and continue to develop and work on premium IPs.

[UCForce]

Expected and sadly. I hope those who have been affected by this will find a job soon.

[Crazyglues]

Everybody is chasing the money trying to build massive studios with all these titles, but what they don't understand is it's Quality over quantity..

[ShaunCameron]

But quality doesn't mean a thing if it doesn't sell.

[ABizzel1]

Agree with both Crazyglues & ShaunCameron

Many of these studios are trying to become AAA publishers, Crytek was trying to build this based on their engine (which is amazing).

The problem is these studios don't have publisher level money, and don't have the teams, games, sales, and quality to make this happen.

Crytek had a chance, but their problem is they don't have any massively selling AAA franchises to build up that loyal fanbase and to keep the company afloat while they try new things.

It's also about the talent. It's nice to have amazing engineers, but you need amazing writers, level designers, animators, etc...

[UltraNova]

Sad for those affected but hopefully this drastic restructuring will be for the best. Crytek should focus on quality, boundary pushing games.

[UCForce]

Yeah, I agree. Just don't know how long Crytek gonna last ? Cry Engine will move on but if without Crytek, it won't be the same.

[Angeljuice]

Why did they have 7 Studios in the first place? They aren't the most prolific devs out there. Their output is relatively small, it seems completely illogical.

[theXtReMe1]

Merry Christmas, youre fired! Wow. They couldnt have waited until the beginning of the new year?

Regardless, whatever keeps this great development house and engine around, is good for the industry. They are one of the few independent third party dev houses that you can rely on to deliver the best in graphics technology... sometimes years ahead of the hardware that can render it. :)

Good luck to those let go and the company itself.

[jznrpg]

Waiting doesnt help, Happy New Year you're fired?? Sooner they know the sooner they can find a new job and rack up time there, their jobs were going nowhere and waiting a week or month or whatever would only be worse in the long run. They werent getting paid anyway from the rumors out there .

[CorndogBurglar]

Reports were saying that they hadn't paid their employees in 6 months. Waiting until after Christmas more than likely would have just kept the employees unpaid for a longer period of time. At least now they can go look for other jobs and start making money again.

[SierraGuy]

I doubt Crytek wanted to let their employees go. Sad none the less...But on the brightside how does Crytek look on a resume?

[NatureOfLogic_]

They most likely got a very nice parting check.

[Pandamobile]

Crytek expanded way, way too aggressively after the success of Crysis. Instead of focusing on what they were good at, they chased the COD/console market and their games took a noticeable dive in quality and it almost cost them their entire company. Hopefully a hardcore downsizing can focus their efforts a bit on improving CryEngine tech and maybe making a proper sequel to Crysis.

[Kreisen]

None of the Crysis games sold all the well at all. The reason the company grew so fast was becouse it was formed by a few very rich investers.

[ShaunCameron]

They chased the COD/console market precisely because Crysis flopped. It was literally unplayable on most PC's of the day. It didn't break even until it got ported over to consoles.

[vegnadragon]

That was a big part, they also flopped on the engine war, quoted and quoted, between Unreal and Unity, another reason for their decline. Besides Crysis, they don't have anything, the only decent thing that came out of Crytek besides Crysis was FarCry, and that's Ubisoft. They are Konami with a poor's man Metal Gear IP, in terms of successful IP.

Between that and not paying developers for months, and their other poor decisions, they need to rebuild their team bad, and tackle hard a new IP around their remaining fan base to build around that.

[badz149]

They should have been more like CDPR and this thing wouldn't have happened in the first place.

Crysis and Crysis Warhead were good games. It was enough to lure EA into funding their next 2 games. That was their chance but instead they blew it by not sticking to their own formula and the fans were pissed.

[XXanderXX]

Suggestion how about selling the Ryse IP to MS/Xbox it already has fan base and it will most likely bring in a quick influx of cash for both sides . Make it happen Crytek

[Yohshida]

Don't get the downvotes. This could help them out and they have no plans for the IP. Recently we had a big push towards Microsoft for a sequel. They even tried to fund Ryse 2, but Crytek gone full retard and rather closed some studios.

[XXanderXX]

Think the disagrees are cause its a favorable thing for MS/Xbox ,
Some will start spewing that Garbage mentality junk about how everyone should play a good game .
Disagrees aside hope MS buys the IP soon .

@Stogz No that is definitely not the reason .

[Stogz]

Or maybe the disagrees are because that game was super average with no need to expand on it.

[Automatic79]

I agree @XXanderXX

Up to this day, I still go back and play RYSE for those rare Achievements. I can see Crytek joining forces with the coalition and create, The Next RYSE. I don't understand why Crytek won't sell the IP to MS game studios. It's a title that deserves a sequel and can become the newest member to the established franchises that MS owns.

[kevnb]

I dont think anybody cares about the Ryse ip.

[XXanderXX]

My suggestion of Crytek selling the IP to MS/Xbox and the disagrees it has received seem to void your comment .

@Angeljuice That is what they will always hear from me due to my preference in gaming console and it will never change for as long that I game .

As for the IP ,there no limit to inquire on buying it, maybe MS is waiting to see how much more Tard Crytek goes and cheap on the IP.

[Christopher]

To be honest, I'd only want them to buy it if they changed the gameplay. Story was fine, technology was fine, but the gameplay itself I think deserved better. But, perhaps that's just me.

[Angeljuice]

I think the disagrees are from those that keep reading the same thing posted from you in this and other threads.

Both MS and Crytech are aware that Crytech holds the Ryse IP. If MS wanted to buy it don't you think it would have occurred to them to ask? If they had asked do you not think Crytech would have agreed (given their current position)?

If MS wanted Ryse, they would have acquired it by now.

[Sciurus_vulgaris]

Crytek been a slowly sinking ship since 2013 .

[BenRC01]

They need to stop developing costly tech demos for pc pirates and focus on aaa console titles.

[kevnb]

when they were making pc exclusive games they were doing well, its when they started making "cinematic" console games that they faltered.

[TheColbertinator]

I agree with kevnb.

Whats the point of pleasing console FPS players when all they want to play is Call if Duty?

[BenRC01]

Then make the next cod. Cod is on its arse anyway, prices slashed weeks after release, this could actually be the perfect time for a decent aaa.
Much more money in console games.

[BlackIceJoe]

If they're smart they'd start working on Timesplitters IV. With four player splitscreen multiplayer they could bring in a truck full of cash.

[kevnb]

It would most likely not sell all that well, the previous games didnt either.

[BlackIceJoe]

Even if it wouldn't sell that great, it would still sell better than all their other games they've been working on recently.

[NarooN]

While it'd indeed be awesome, the game wouldn't sell well most likely. The first three games were critically acclaimed and beloved by fans, but didn't have mass market appeal. At least there's the fan project called 'TimeSplitters Rewind' to look forward to.

[kevnb]

the worst part is that they were making timesplitters 4, but after haze came out there was no publisher willing to take a chance on it.

[Yohshida]

Well, at least the core Studios are still here. Sad for everybody losing their jobs. I just hope they go back to making good games and stop focus on f2p and VR.

[DarkZane]

Crytek need to completely disappear already, they have never made a good game and all Crysis had for it back when it was released was the graphics and their new games aren't impressive graphic wise.

[CorndogBurglar]

What? They've never made a good game?

Are you saying the Farcry and Crysis series aren't good?

You would have quite a long list of people disagree with that...especially considering each series has spawned multiple sequels, which it wouldn't do of people weren't enjoying them and buying them. Thats what happens with good games.

[XXanderXX]

Crytek hasn't made a far cry series since they sold to ubisoft

[Eldyraen]

No, but their work on the original inspired sequels. Without it there probably wouldn't be a 2-4/Primal.

[CorndogBurglar]

@ xxXanderxx

His comment said Crytek has NEVER made a good game.

Crytek created Farcry. The original is arguably the best one also.

Regardless, to say they've never made a good game is asinine.

[Stevonidas]

Microsoft should just buy Crytek outright.

[Sciurus_vulgaris]

How much are the studios and their IPs actually worth?

[Stevonidas]

Does it matter if M$ has the cash?

[TheOptimist]

Just make Crysis 4 in the lines of the OG Crysis and add Denuvo lel

[dkp23]

Sell ryse ip to ms. Crytek wont benefit from this ip.

[Nodoze]

I hate it when stuff like this happens. Crytek have some great talent. I hope that they retain the necessry talent to grow again.

[Blu3_Berry]

I honestly don't recall them making any games lately. Last one I can think of was Crysis 3 and that came out in 2013. Pretty sad, wonder what's been going on with them lately.

[Ron_Danger]

Robinson on PSVR

[kevnb]

it all started when they got the idea to try and make the next halo/call of duty instead of the kind of games they are actually good at making.

[Inzo]

"will refocus on its core strengths of developing innovative games"

WHAT!!!! Hahahahahaha

[Eldyraen]

The games they are best known for, the first Farcry and Crysis (original one especially), were pretty big and really helped bring the shooter genre to the open world scene.

Ryse was good but flawed unfortunately but I've beat it three or four times now (once on PC and multiple on One). Robinsons is one of the games I was watching for psvr but quite frankly I'm not buying VR yet no matter what.

They're good devs but not the best by any means. Hopefully they can get back to just making games (and engines) and not bite off more than they can chew again (buying multiple other studios).

[Inzo]

Crysis was a visual powerhouse no doubt unfortunately for Crytek thats where it ends, they seem to put so much effort into giving great looking games that they forget about what matters, they gameplay.

[mochachino]

I'm still pissed at them for never fixing the grain bug on Crysis 2 for 360.

I thought Crytek was a highly talented dev prior to that, really enjoyed the Crysis series as one of my favourites then lost all respect for them when they refused to issue a patch to fix it. It ruined the game for me and for some reason all of their games have seemed mediocre since then. They must have burned a lot of customers because I don't think they've had a very popular game since Crysis 2.

Some bugs are fine, it's a part of game development but a bug that made the whole game look like a poorly compressed Youtube video was inexcusable.

[KillZallthebeast]

Is there a single year cryek isnt in finacial dismay? Come on now maybe get better leadership your games arent that bad.

[Donnie81]

Hope we still see that game hunted horrors of the gilded age. The little bit I saw looked pretty cool

[Ninver]

What ever happened to the supposed Time Splitters game?

[medman]

Poor leadership = many tears. Same old story.

[captainexplosion]

I really hated Robinson the Journey. Waste of time.

[joab777]

Crisis would be great right now on Pro and soon Scorpio. Hell, even a Remaster of 2 & 3 real quick would make them some quick cash. They would be gorgeous in 4K.

[Eyesoftheraven]

I hope they do well. I'd love to see Cryengine optimized to run as fast as Frostbite and to see innovation equivalent to Crysis (2007).

[PaleMoonDeath]

DO SOMETHING WITH TIMESPLITTERS DAMMIT! .. Please?