Big Huge Games Facing Sale or Shutdown

Andy Chalk

One Flag, One Fleet, One Cat
Nov 12, 2002
45,698
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Big Huge Games Facing Sale or Shutdown


THQ [http://www.microsoft.com/games/RiseofNations/] says if it can't sell the studio it will be forced to close it down.

WARN [http://www.crispygamer.com/news/index.php/2009-03-17/big-huge-games-layoffs-coming/] (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notice) Act notice, meaning that at least 50 of its employees would be laid off within the next two months. THQ, which purchased the studio in January 2008, did not comment at the time but now says things are actually worse than that: If it can't sell the studio "in the near future" it will be shut down completely.

"As part of THQ's previously announced business realignment and related headcount reduction plans that targeted cost reductions of $220 million, including a reduction in workforce of 600 people worldwide, THQ today notified the staff at two of its development studios that they will be spun out as independent companies: Heavy Iron [http://www.heavy-iron.com/] in Los Angeles, CA, and Incinerator in Carlsbad, CA," Julie MacMedan, THQ's vice president of investor relations and corporate communications, said in a statement. "In addition, THQ informed the staff at its Big Huge Games studio in Timonium, MD, that it plans to close the studio if a sale is not completed in the near future. These actions were unfortunate but were necessitated by the difficult economic environment."

Heavy Iron and Incinerator have both worked almost exclusively on movie-based videogames for THQ and are most likely victims of the Ken Rolston [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/89818-THQ-Has-50-50-Chance-Of-Going-Bankrupt] that was slated for release in 2009, is unknown.

Source: Crispy Gamer [http://www.crispygamer.com/news/index.php/2009-03-17/big-huge-games-for-sale/]


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Brotherofwill

New member
Jan 25, 2009
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So much for the video game industry being recession proof...developers are dying by the hundreds.

I thought Rise of Nations was a solid game, shame that they have such a bleak future.

Also the notice of the unnamed RPG is pleasant, Morrowing and Oblivion kicked ass.

The name Big Huge Games is silly to say the least
 

Baby Tea

Just Ask Frankie
Sep 18, 2008
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This is a real shame, and I hope they get a buyer.
Rise of Nations was/is a great game, and Big Huge is a solid developer.

C'mon Big Huge! Pull through!
 

Medic Heavy

New member
Jul 4, 2008
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Dear god no. I need a next gen Rise of Nations dammit!

This is probably the only company that i care about that's being hit by the recession, I really hope they pull through this.
 

Bakery

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Jul 15, 2008
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It'l be sad to see Big Huge go, I've been hoping for another RoN/RoL installment for a while now.

ravensshade said:
I want a sequal to rise of legends to but with less steampunk
Now why on Earth would anyone want LESS steampunk?? Baffling!
 

ravensshade

resident shadow
Mar 18, 2009
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Bakery said:
It'l be sad to see Big Huge go, I've been hoping for another RoN/RoL installment for a while now.

ravensshade said:
I want a sequal to rise of legends to but with less steampunk
Now why on Earth would anyone want LESS steampunk?? Baffling!
i like baffling folks
and don't know but steampunk just doesn't do it for me
 

The_Prophet

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Sep 3, 2008
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Baby Tea said:
This is a real shame, and I hope they get a buyer.
Rise of Nations was/is a great game, and Big Huge is a solid developer.

C'mon Big Huge! Pull through!
Seconded
 

theSovietConnection

Survivor, VDNKh Station
Jan 14, 2009
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Big Huge had better make it through, Rise of Nations is a solid game and needs another instalment. With Ensemble gone, Big Huge is about the only good RTS developer left.
 

BloodSquirrel

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Jun 23, 2008
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Brotherofwill said:
So much for the video game industry being recession proof...developers are dying by the hundreds.
The game industry has always been dynamic. A lot of developers/publishers wind up on the wrong side of changing winds, and some small developers don't have the diversity/spare cash to adjust before they go belly up.

The truth is that 1-2 years of a bad economy won't kill a healthy company. If they're dying now, then they've had problems for a while now.