Activision and Blitz Make Plays for Former Realtime Worlds Staff

[Logan Westbrook]

Activision and Blitz Make Plays for Former Realtime Worlds Staff

Not one, but two companies have set their sights on the staff of APB developer Realtime Worlds.

It was only yesterday that Realtime Worlds announced that it was entering administration [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/102845-Realtime-Worlds-Troubles-Confirmed-Faces-Liquidation], putting nearly 200 jobs in jeopardy. But Activision and Blitz Games are wasting no time in trying to recruit the struggling developer's staff, and have flown representatives to the Scottish city of Dundee to hold interviews with interested parties.

Tomorrow evening, Activision will highlight its available positions both inside and outside the UK in a special presentation, and then on Friday it will hold selected interviews for what are described as key vacancies. Blitz Studios, whose Volatile Games division developed Dead to Rights: Retribution will also be talking to RTW employees on Thursday and Friday. CEO Phillip Oliver said that RTW staff would be "pleasantly surprised" by the opportunities that Blitz could offer.

While at first glance this looks like Activision and Blitz are kicking Realtime Worlds when it's down, realistically this is probably the best thing that could have happened for the RTW staff. Unless the studio can find an investor, most of them will be out of a job, and with APB receiving such a lukewarm reception, securing more funding may prove incredibly difficult. Losing a significant portion of its staff will obviously further reduce RTW's value, but it's debatable as to whether it would make any difference at this point anyway. We'll have to wait and see how this situation develops, but hopefully it will end in the best resolution for all concerned.

Source: Industry Gamers [http://www.industrygamers.com/news/activision-and-blitz-offer-realtime-worlds-employees-new-jobs/] and Develop [http://www.develop-online.net/news/35649/Activision-attempts-RTW-staff-rescue]


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[Woodsey]

Don't go to Activision.

Sure, APB scored shit but we could all see the potential even if it missed the mark.

 

[merman]

Maybe they should go to Activision... if Activision are going to invest in the studio and keep it in Dundee. What we don't want is a brain drain, or more companies pulling out of the UK because of the lack of tax breaks...

 

[Loonerinoes]

While I am on the one hand glad they'll be given this opportunity at least, something tells me this could turn out to be bad.

When a big publisher seeks to 'rescue the little people from turmoil' like this it usually comes with a set of conditions in the contract that are greatly beneficial to the publisher even at the expense of the developers' wishes (seeing how they have a particular level of bargaining power with the ability to either save or doom those employees with their deal).

So it might look good...then again, if there's one thing that's always been certain it is that desperation while negotiating any contract is not good at all for those who are desperate. And if any publisher seems willing to exploit that to the fullest, at least according to the latest drama, it'd probably be Activision. Can't speak about how Blitz will factor into this though...

 

[Jared]

Well, at least it means they have options, which is good. It would be terrible if after all that work, they had no where to go...

 

[Canid117]

Activision trying to set up another MMO? Why would they do that if they already have what is the market leader on their sister companies resume? I will remind you that WOW is the market leader of MMOs in the same way that Scientology is the leader in the batshit insane cult market.

 

[qbanknight]

Go to Blitz, screw Activision or they screw you.

This is just sad though, can't believe such a promising studio went under so quickly

 

[IAmTheVoid]

APB has the potential to be such a fun game. It'd be a shame to see Activision screw APB when it still has a chance.

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

Scuttlebutt has it that Sega is sending people over as well. No idea what intentions they have. There's also numbers being thrown around, one of them being RTW's supposed debt- three million pounds (a bit over USD $4.5mil). Some are hopeful that a company with deep pockets and an eye towards the future will buy up the whole kit and kaboodle and give it the financial backing it needs to make a comeback. The more likely reality is that this is a headhunting operation to pick apart the corpse while it's still warm.

 

[Therumancer]

Hmmm, well the thing that surprises me here is that I was never really all that impressed by the company. I saw APB as a giant cash grab hoping that less than savvy "Sandbox Crime Game" fans would wind up paying far more than the going rate for an MMORPG subscription in order to PVP in a persistant world.

Perhaps I'm getting it confused with "Crimecraft" but I remember reading somewhere that this game was based on both a subscription model, and also getting people to pay extra to access premium areas where most of the real action/good stuff was taking place.

I could be missing something, but I'm not sure what any of these big companies would want with the producers of a generic crime shooter, who launched a fail money grab attempt. Especially since a lot of these companies are pretty big to begin with and already have talented people.

The only explanation I can think of is that perhaps the industry is gearing up to do a major purge of a lot of senior pesonel to avoid paying benefits and scheduled raises, and are looking to get people who can do a lot of the same thing for less money to come in fresh and hungry. But then again I'm a cynic.

Of course then again I'm not in this business so there might be something special here I lack the critical eye of a developer to see. "Sandbox" games are some of the only shooters I consistantly play, and I loved games like "Saint's Row 2", that said both APB and Crime Craft pretty much hit both my "yuck" and "WTF" buttons simultaneously and very few games actually get a reaction to that extent despite what some people see as general negativity.

 

[theultimateend]

Activision trying to set up another MMO? Why would they do that if they already have what is the market leader on their sister companies resume? I will remind you that WOW is the market leader of MMOs in the same way that Scientology is the leader in the batshit insane cult market.

In that Scientology is incredibly well designed, has quick in game support, and massive amounts of worthwhile content?

That doesn't sound right...so I must be reading what you meant wrong. Cause I'm pretty sure Scientology is not the largest batshit insane cult. But that path leads to probation on Escapist .

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

Perhaps I'm getting it confused with "Crimecraft" but I remember reading somewhere that this game was based on both a subscription model, and also getting people to pay extra to access premium areas where most of the real action/good stuff was taking place.

You're off by a bit. The game has two types of areas: The "Social District", where you can hang out for free, talk to people, and make designs and the like, and the "Action District", where you get to do the driving/robbing/shooting thing but which requires paid gametime. But the game also takes a page from the EVE Online playbook by letting you sell in-game money, weapons and other items on their marketplace for points (which are purchased from the company) that you can put towards more gametime. There are a number of people who have been playing since the game was released without paying a cent towards it (beyind the game's purchase price, of course).

 

[UnravThreads]

I have to say that I hope Rockstar/Take 2 jump in to the fray as well. APB reminds me of GTA (from what I've seen) and Saints Row, and I think Rockstar could miss out on some good talent.

But yeah, booo Activision.

 

[ReSpawn]

Of course then again I'm not in this business so there might be something special here I lack the critical eye of a developer to see. "Sandbox" games are some of the only shooters I consistantly play, and I loved games like "Saint's Row 2", that said both APB and Crime Craft pretty much hit both my "yuck" and "WTF" buttons simultaneously and very few games actually get a reaction to that extent despite what some people see as general negativity.

They're probably trying to snap up the guys who made the rather extensive character customisation tool. At least that's what I heard.

 

[Ldude893]

Realtime Worlds would be in better hands in Blitz.

 

[Rack]

This is an ogres choice for RTW, the Devil or, let's face it, a hobo. Blitz games most notable work so far was "Sneak King" I'm just not sure they can offer enough resources to let RTW staff make another hit.