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Forums - Sales Discussion - (old) Avalanche Studios downsizing due to publishers cancelling projects

NJ5 on 12 April 2009

This is from back in October but I didn't read about it before, and from my searches I don't think it was ever discussed here.

http://gamereactor.eu/news/317/Avalanche+Studios+downsizing/

Avalanche Studios downsizing

Published 2008-10-27
Text: Bengt Lemne

After losing two contracts lately Avalanche Studios are letting 77 people go from their office in central Stockholm. The two cancelled projects were unannounced, and work continues on their two announced titles Just Cause 2 and The Hunter with the remaining staff. The two contracts were worth 34 million dollars and the current financial crisis had an effect on the decisions to cancel the projects. One of the publishers wants to focus more on family friendly games while the other one has no money.

As there are many developers expanding in the region it should be possible for the people losing their jobs to find new employment elsewhere.

Interesting things:

Two contracts worth 34 million dollars, that's in line with what's usually assumed for PS3/360 development budgets (around 20 million each not including marketing costs).

It seems the recession had a direct impact on some developers after all (it's not that common to see cancellations directly attributed to it).

PS: I was trying to get a job with these guys for a while back in 2007, I'm glad I didn't succeed...

 



My Mario Kart Wii friend code: 2707-1866-0957

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Squilliam on 12 April 2009

17 Million each!!!!

TBA – Just Cause 2
TBA – The Hunter[2]
TBA – AionGuard[3]

These are the 3 games which were TBA on Wikipedia, so its safe to assume that Just Cause 2 and perhaps either The Hunter or AionGuard are make up the games cancelled.

Or alternatively The Hunter and AionGuard were due to start production and they were cancelled because Just Cause may be well under way.

Thanks for posting this, honey.



Tease.

NJ5 on 12 April 2009

@Squilliam: The article says Just Cause 2 and The Hunter weren't cancelled, so I guess that AionGuard game was one of them?



My Mario Kart Wii friend code: 2707-1866-0957

Squilliam on 12 April 2009

I missed that, woops on lax skim reading skills. Edit: And yes it probably was Aion Guard and one other then.



Tease.

NJ5 on 12 April 2009

To confuse things further, this article makes it seem like AionGuard wasn't cancelled:

http://www.edge-online.com/magazine/aionguard-exposed

It does say they bought back the rights to the game from some publisher though.



My Mario Kart Wii friend code: 2707-1866-0957