Obsidian Entertainment Hit With Layoffs

[Andy Chalk]

Obsidian Entertainment Hit With Layoffs

Fallout: New Vegas [http://www.amazon.com/Fallout-New-Vegas-Pc/dp/B002SU4QG4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1303846163&sr=8-3] studio Obsidian Entertainment has reportedly laid off several employees.

Long-serving Obsidian veteran Akil Hooper, who worked as a designer on the 2010 release Fallout: New Vegas, recently revealed via Twitter that he'd fallen victim to layoffs. "11 years, nearly a dozen shipped titles, Designer, Lead, Producer. 1 cancelled game, survived 7 layoffs, 8th got me," he wrote [http://twitter.com/akilh/status/60843139434422272]. "Not a bad track record."

But he's not the only one who's been cut loose, according to a tweeted [http://forums.obsidian.net/index.php?showtopic=57290&st=0], "No longer work at Obsidian. I guess this means I will have to start buying my own pens."

Joe Sanabria, art director at Obsidian and Lead Artist on Fallout: New Vegas, has updated his Theresa Kanae Treadwell [http://www.linkedin.com/in/jsanabria], Design Interns John Lewis and Ryan Zingler, and Environment Art Intern Rose Gomez, all of whom have apparently been let go.

In terms of sheer numbers the cuts are relatively small but it's still a very sad situation, especially for long-serving employees coming off a big hit like New Vegas. We wish all the best to everyone affected.

via: Gamasutra [http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/34298/Reports_Layoffs_Hit_Obsidian_Entertainment.php]


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[PrinceOfShapeir]

There's a lot more to business than just putting out a good product, Ghost. Besides the costs of making the project, Obsidian also may have had debts to deal with and the percentage Bethesda took from the take.

 

[AngelOfBlueRoses]

I'm absolutely baffled. Despite the bugs, New Vegas was a great game! It would suck to put so much into these games and then find yourself slapped in the face with a lay off despite the game doing better than its predecessor.

 

[Woodsey]

Sad but, other than New Vegas' success, not overtly surprising if I'm honest.

They're also an independent, and generally work on other people's IPs, so maybe its because there's not much banging around for them to work on at the minute.

 

[Celtic_Kerr]

Just goes to show that you can make a fantastic game that everyone loves, but if at the end of the day it ended up costing you more to make the game than you get back, doesn't matter how loved it was, you're still in debt

 

[Mr. Grey]

I'm starting to think these guys should sign up with ZeniMax.

It'd be good for them in the sense of ZeniMax's handling of developers: "We let you do what you need to do, but if you dare cross the line or waste any time we're slapping you with a mackerel!"

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

I really wouldn't mind seeing the studio close. There's a lot of talent there, but the studio itself is really squandering it by just making [poor] sequels to franchises that they are not a part of. Hopefully those who are laid off will go on to better studios where they can use their considerable talents to make something interesting and original instead of the muck that Obsidian's made over the course of the studio's existence.

 

[Celtic_Kerr]

It seems that their careers have run into a glitch

Looks like Obsidian is...

*puts glasses on*

suffering a fallout

 

[Torque669]

It seems that their careers have run into a glitch

HOW DO YOU COME UP WITH ALL THESE PUNS!?

However, back on topic, this is a pity but atleast they are all taking it well, even their own members see that what happened had to be done and I like that the Studio lead wrote recommendations to the interns they had to let go and trying to make sure that they go on to work elsewhere in the Games Industry.

It can be a brutal place, the Games Industry, but seeing a great company deal so well with it should inspire other failing companies to do what they can to make sure their employees can work on elsewhere with no handicaps.

 

[newwiseman]

I like that the "tester" was let go, can't imagine what New Vegas would had been like without someone testing it...

*sarcasm intended

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

I like that the "tester" was let go, can't imagine what New Vegas would had been like without someone testing it...

*sarcasm intended

He was their only tester.

 

[dragongit]

It looks like the end of April has been a really REALLY shitty month for a lot of places. Borders is finally dead in my area. I've read reports of several buissnesses closing stores in their chain like FYE and Blockbuster. My own father has lost his job... absolute shit for everyone right now.

 

[Celtic_Kerr]

I like that the "tester" was let go, can't imagine what New Vegas would had been like without someone testing it...

*sarcasm intended

What else would you do to a tester that didn't find all those bugs?

Just get a new tester, and get rid of this one during lay off season so that you don't need to go through the whole "We swear we had cause to fire him" schpeel"

 

[Saviordd1]

It seems that their careers have run into a glitch

Looks like Obsidian is...

*puts glasses on*

suffering a fallout

Please stop, now, i think the puns are burning my brain

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

Poor Obsidian...Hope Dungeon Siege 3 sells well for 'em. I'm getting it, for sure.

 

[Celtic_Kerr]

It seems that their careers have run into a glitch

Looks like Obsidian is...

*puts glasses on*

suffering a fallout

Please stop, now, i think the puns are burning my brain

Couldn't resist mate. Savvy?

 

[Irridium]

Well that sucks to hear. I hope Dungeon Siege 3 does well. As I said, if its relatively bug free, like they said it would be, I'll buy it twice.

Obsidian's one of the very, very few developers who's game's stories aren't complete ass, and one of the fewer that let the player influence how the story plays out. It would be a massive shame to see them go.