Grin Goes Under

[Andy Chalk]

Grin Goes Under

Rumors of the possible shutdown of Swedish developer Terminator Salvation [http://www.grin.se/], were confirmed today as the company announced that it was closing its doors after 12 years of operation.

Grin was first reported to be having financial problems all the way back in yesterday [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/92006-Massive-Layoffs-Rumored-at-GRIN] that those offices had in fact been closed in June, although the English-language gaming press somehow managed to miss it; in spite of the cuts, however, the company continued to struggle and sources claimed that employees had been told to stay home while a bankruptcy procedure took place.

Today the studio confirmed in a message posted on its website that it has ceased operations. "It is with a heavy heart we announce today that Grin has been forced to close its doors," the message said. "After twelve years of hard work, employing hundreds of wonderfully talented men and women, it is over. It has been a great adventure and the Grin family has experienced what few have."

The message blamed the shutdown on "an unbearable cash flow situation" brought about by delayed payments from publishers. It's interesting to note, as Wanted: Weapons of Fate [http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/12/bionic-commando-developer-grin-closes/]. The underperforming movie games are widely believed to have played a major role in the studio's downfall.

But the news isn't all bad: Many ex-Grin staffers apparently didn't feel like taking an impromptu vacation and instead chose to form Outbreak Studios, headed by former Grin lead programmer Peter Björklund, who built the network engine used in games like Battlefield: Bad Company [http://www.xbox.com/midtownmadness3]. The company plans to develop games for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, PSPGo and iPHone.


Permalink

 

[ChromeAlchemist]

I said it before and I'll say it again, this generation is cursed. Let's hope next generation doesn't repeat the same mistakes.

 

[Kajt]

That's one less game company in Sweden... *sigh*

 

[Wildrow12]

I said it before and I'll say it again, this generation is cursed. Let's hope next generation doesn't repeat the same mistakes.

So hope all who live to see such times, compadre.

 

[JC175]

Well that's bad news for the employees I suppose, but after the crock of shit that was Terminator: Salvation I suppose there had to be repercussions of some kind.

 

[Syphonz]

I'll rent Terminator Salvation in tribute.

 

[Angel Emfrbl]

Well there goes another one...

One by one they fall or are swallowed by a bigger company.

 

[ChromeAlchemist]

I said it before and I'll say it again, this generation is cursed. Let's hope next generation doesn't repeat the same mistakes.

So hope all who live to see such times, compadre.

I don't think it helps a good deal when everyone wants every new game to visually trump the ones before it. The games don't have to look like Prototype, but they also don't have to look like Killzone 2, especially considering how long KZ2 took to get here, a development time most devs don't have. I'm gravy with a game that is a blast to play and looks good. Not eyeball searing, but good. If they can do both, even better, but know where your priorities lie.

This gen is too costly. R.I.P.:

Free Radical

GRIN Studios

3D Realms (DNF Team)

List Pending.

 

[GoldenRaz]

Too bad, in that yet another company "disappears" and that Grin has an awesome logo.
But I haven't really played any of their games so I'm not too sorry. I did like the demo for Wanted: WoF though...

 

[theultimateend]

I said it before and I'll say it again, this generation is cursed. Let's hope next generation doesn't repeat the same mistakes.

So hope all who live to see such times, compadre.

I don't think it helps a good deal when everyone wants every new game to visually trump the ones before it. The games don't have to look like Prototype, but they also don't have to look like Killzone 2, especially considering how long KZ2 took to get here, a development time most devs don't have. I'm gravy with a game that is a blast to play and looks good. Not eyeball searing, but good. If they can do both, even better, but know where your priorities lie.

This gen is too costly. R.I.P.:

Free Radical

GRIN Studios

3D Realms (DNF Team)

List Pending.

Everyone doesn't want that.

In fact the minority of people polled show they prefer graphics over quality gameplay.

The thing is that across the board gameplay is shit (basically) and so you only have one thing to improve on.

That's why I find myself more often than not playing PS1 games on my modded PSP . They look like crap but overall the gameplay was pretty entertaining.

Gaming has Periods of Bubble and Bust just like any other market, once this bust is done another Bubble will arise.

Just need some of the larger companies to shape up or crumble really.

 

[hansari]

I'll rent Terminator Salvation in tribute.

What if it sucks?

But the news isn't all bad: Many ex-Grin staffers apparently didn't feel like taking an impromptu vacation and instead chose to form Outbreak Studios, headed by former Grin lead programmer Peter Björklund, who built the network engine used in games like Battlefield: Bad Company [http://www.xbox.com/midtownmadness3]. The company plans to develop games for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, PSPGo and iPHone.

So is that why they didn't just let themselves be "bought out"? They figured it would be better to file for bankruptcy and start anew?

 

[squid5580]

Normally I would be a bit sad by this but not for the guys and gals responsible for Terminator Salvation. They deserve no pity after that abomination. If you aren't going to put any effort into gameplay, AI or story at least make it look decent. At least then it looks like you might have been trying.

 

[wrecker77]

This is bad ne- terminator? Wanted?

 

[ChromeAlchemist]

I said it before and I'll say it again, this generation is cursed. Let's hope next generation doesn't repeat the same mistakes.

So hope all who live to see such times, compadre.

I don't think it helps a good deal when everyone wants every new game to visually trump the ones before it. The games don't have to look like Prototype, but they also don't have to look like Killzone 2, especially considering how long KZ2 took to get here, a development time most devs don't have. I'm gravy with a game that is a blast to play and looks good. Not eyeball searing, but good. If they can do both, even better, but know where your priorities lie.

This gen is too costly. R.I.P.:

Free Radical

GRIN Studios

3D Realms (DNF Team)

List Pending.

Everyone doesn't want that.

In fact the minority of people polled show they prefer graphics over quality gameplay.

The thing is that across the board gameplay is shit (basically) and so you only have one thing to improve on.

That's why I find myself more often than not playing PS1 games on my modded PSP . They look like crap but overall the gameplay was pretty entertaining.

Gaming has Periods of Bubble and Bust just like any other market, once this bust is done another Bubble will arise.

Just need some of the larger companies to shape up or crumble really.

It's not really here, it's other places where many people value graphics over gameplay. Gameplay isn't so much shit, as it is stagnating over the similarity. Either way this industry is sick and needs a surgeon. Is it really a case of companies shaping up though? The larger companies can take risks, it's the smaller ones that are being killed off.

I agree on this being a phase though (if that's what you were saying), I've said so myself in the past.

Graphics just don't need to improve in leaps and bounds any more in my opinion.

 

[akmarksman]

No wonder they are shutting down, they didnt make any worthwhile games that people bought

GRAW 2.

 

[Arkhangelsk]

If they're now working on anything that has to do with Bad Company, I'm sold on their new company. But yeah, it sucked. Incidentally, I live in the same country.

 

[More Fun To Compute]

This gen is too costly. R.I.P.:

Free Radical

GRIN Studios

3D Realms (DNF Team)

List Pending.

The thing is that companies are going down now after releasing nothing or horrible games that make me not care that they are going. These are no reasons for angst at the level of Looking Glass or Troika.