Kingdoms of Amalur: The Reckoning - "The game failed"

38 Studios og Big Huge Games lader nu til at lukke og slukke. Skaberen af Kingdoms of Amalur: The Reckoning løb ind i nogle økonomiske problemer, hvor de ikke var i stand til at betale afdrag på deres enorme lån på $75 millioner. Det lykkedes dem imidlertid at tilbagebetale $1,125 millioner, men dette var på bekostning af løn og andre udgifter, og dette træk skulle vise sig at få nogle grimme konsekvenser.

De ansatte fik en email sendt ud i går med følgende budskab: "The Company is experiencing an economic downturn. To avoid further losses and possibility of retrenchment, the Company has decided that a companywide lay off is absolutely necessary. These layoffs are non-voluntary and non-disciplinary. This is your official notice of lay off, effective today, Thursday, May 24th, 2012." Guvernør Lincoln Chafee sagde til en pressekonference, at "The game failed" forstået sådan, at det ganske enkelt ikke fik solgt nok eksemplarer i forhold til målet, som lå på mere end 3 millioner udgaver. Spilbranchen er hård og nådesløs, og især for nye IP'er kan det være et mareridt at få en fod inden for døren. Vi, på Game Wardens, tager hatten af for de to studier for i det mindste at prøve at skabe noget nyt. Til de mange ansatte der nu er uden job: Vores tanker går med jer.


English version:

38 Studios and Big Huge Games seems to have reached the end. The developers behind Kingdoms of Amalur: The Reckoning ran into financial problems earlier this year where they couldn't meet payments of their $75 million loan. They did however manage to make a payment of $1,125 million but at the cost of payroll, and this turned out to have dire consequences.

The staff of the studios recieved yesterday a notice with the following message: "The Company is experiencing an economic downturn. To avoid further losses and possibility of retrenchment, the Company has decided that a companywide lay off is absolutely necessary. These layoffs are non-voluntary and non-disciplinary. This is your official notice of lay off, effective today, Thursday, May 24th, 2012." Governor Lincoln Chafee said at an conference that "The game failed", meaning it failed to live up to expectations. To make ends meet they needed to sell more than 3 million copies of the game but it sadly didn't reach that lofty goal. This industry is tough and without mercy, especially when it comes to new IPs. We, here at Game Wardens, salute the studios for at least trying to make something new and original. To the many talented people now without a job: Our thoughts go with you.

Problemer hos 38 Studios

38 Studios, udviklerne bag Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, befinder sig muligvis i økonomiske problemer for tiden. Tilbage i 2010 lånte studiet $75 millioner af staten under betingelsen af, at de skulle flytte fra Massachusetts til Rhode Island, og nu forsøger stærke kræfter, inklusiv guvernøren selv, at holde studiet fra lukning.

Hvad der helt nøjagtigt foregår er endnu uvist, men når guvernøren træder ind i sagen, så kan det næppe være godt nyt. Tiden vil vise, hvad der vil ske for 38 Studios, men jeg håber inderligt, at de vil forblive, så vi kan nyde mere af Kingdoms of Amalur.


English version:

38 Studios, the developer behind Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, might be in financial trouble these days. Back in 2010 they received a $75 million loan from the state under the condition that they'd move from Massachusetts to Rhode Island. Strong forces, including the governor himself, are now trying to keep the studio from closing its doors.

What exactly is going on is as of yet unknown but if the governor is entering the stage it can't be good news. Time will tell what will happen to 38 Studios but I do sincerely hope that they will survive so that we may enjoy even more of Kingdoms of Amalur.