Red Storm Entertainment Hit By Layoffs

Andy Chalk

One Flag, One Fleet, One Cat
Nov 12, 2002
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Red Storm Entertainment Hit By Layoffs


38 people have been laid off from Red Storm Entertainment [http://www.redstorm.com/], the studio best known for creating the Rainbow Six and Ghost Recon franchises.

The surprise news out of the North Carolina-based studio is the result of "a realignment of production priorities," according to a statement from Ubisoft [http://www.ubi.com], which acquired Red Storm in 2000. "The decision to realign the team allows Red Storm to focus on its core strength: developing innovative multiplayer experiences."

Despite the layoffs, the company said Red Storm itself isn't going anywhere. "Red Storm remains an integral part of Ubisoft's worldwide production team," the statement continued. "Those employees [affected by the layoffs] have the opportunity to consider positions in other Ubisoft studios."

Red Storm Entertainment was founded in 1996 and quickly established itself in the industry with the 1998 release of the groundbreaking tactical FPS Rainbow Six. In 2001 it launched its most successful franchise, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon. Red Storm's most recent titles include America's Army: True Soldiers [http://www.amazon.com/Clancys-Ghost-Advanced-Warfighter-xbox-360/dp/B000LXIO6I/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1282858980&sr=8-3].

Red Storm is currently at work on the mulitplayer component of Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Future Soldier [http://www.amazon.com/Clancys-Ghost-Future-Soldier-Xbox-360/dp/B0037LTTRO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1282858980&sr=8-1], which will not be affected by the cuts. The Escapist Editor-in-Chief Russ Pitts revealed that as recently as his latest visit to Red Storm, in November of 2009, the studio also "had an entire team working on a secret, internally developed new IP that they were very excited about and were expecting to release in 2010 or 2011." How that project will be affected by the layoffs is currently unknown.


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Korten12

Now I want ma...!
Aug 26, 2009
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I hope it doesnt get effected, I plan to get Future Soldier and Vegas 2 is great!
 

Simple Bluff

New member
Dec 30, 2009
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How can they just dispose 38 people and say it won't affect the production of upcoming games? That's a lot of manpower.
 

Jared

The British Paladin
Jul 14, 2009
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Thats a real shame...I do enjoy there gaemes >< hope they can find new jobs!
 

oranger

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May 27, 2008
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Oh look another mega corp purchases a studio and then guts it like a fish. Surprise?
 

-Samurai-

New member
Oct 8, 2009
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At least they can continue to work with other parts of Ubisoft studios, instead of being temporarily unemployed.

I see where they're coming from, though. Having too many projects going on at once can result in lower quality games. They need to focus on just a few things.
 

Therumancer

Citation Needed
Nov 28, 2007
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I see this as an example of exactly why the attitude expressed by "Extra Credit" about how big companies and smaller "indie" creative companies can work together. Ubisoft wants to save a few bucks, down comes the axe, and guess who it falls on? The sub companies. No creativity here (despite the word) they want them to work on the stuff they know they can produce and sell rather than experimenting with many new things.

The economy isn't great, but still looking at a lot of the layoffs, most of them seem more about the optimization of profits than any real need to cut jobs to stay afloat.

The only "good" thing I see here is that at least Ubisoft didn't do it right before Christmas.
 

Baldr

The Noble
Jan 6, 2010
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I believe Red Storm is the only Ubisoft studio within the United States. To move to another stduio would have to go far from Morrisville.
 

The Lost Big Boss

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Sep 3, 2008
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So they cut people who made the single player and are keeping the multiplayer people.
In other words expect a shit-tastic single player for future games, and possibly the current Ghost Recon.
 

Weaver

Overcaffeinated
Apr 28, 2008
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I hope all 38 were fat trimming from bloated management and/or unproductive employees.
 

Baldr

The Noble
Jan 6, 2010
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The Lost Big Boss said:
So they cut people who made the single player and are keeping the multiplayer people.
In other words expect a shit-tastic single player for future games, and possibly the current Ghost Recon.
No you read it wrong, another studio did the single player, their(Red Storm) current responsibility was the multiplayer aspect of the game. They also have another game in development that is still under an NDA so no one outside the studio can talk about it.
 

UnravThreads

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Aug 10, 2009
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Whilst I'm not a fan of their games (I stay a mile away from anything with "LOL TOM CLANCY" written on it), it's still a shame to see people lose their jobs. Hope they get new ones as soon as possible.
 

Russ Pitts

The Boss of You
May 1, 2006
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This one hit us pretty close to home, in more than one sense. Red Storm is a short car ride down the highway from our offices, and I would consider a lot of the people there friends. I hope everyone makes it out OK, especially the folks who are left cleaning up the mess.