Rumor: Six Days In Fallujah Developer To Close Doors

[Logan Westbrook]

Rumor: Six Days In Fallujah Developer To Close Doors

Sources are claiming that Atomic Games is not long for this world.

News reached us on Thursday that developer Atomic Games had let go an unspecified number of staff members [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/93696-Layoffs-Confirmed-at-Six-Days-in-Fallujah-Dev]. Now, an anonymous source is claiming that this number may be higher than Atomic has implied. If these rumors are correct, then previous reports that they would continue with funding from their sister company Destineer may turn out to have been overstated.

Speaking to IndustryGamers [http://www.industrygamers.com/news/rumor-atomic-games-at-deaths-door/], the anonymous source claimed that of the company's 75 employees, only a dozen or so remained: "The remaining team is basically a skeleton cleanup crew that will be gone soon too. They are trying to downplay the extent of these layoffs, but the reality is that Atomic is pretty much dead."

Atomic's misfortunes all center around their controversial shooter Six Days In Fallujah, billed as a realistic look at the Iraq war, that was dropped by publisher Konami only weeks after it was announced following the negative reactions it garnered from the USA.

We've contacted Atomic Games about the rumors and will keep you updated on the developer's fate.

Source: Shacknews [http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/59900]


Permalink

 

[HobbesMkii]

No! No! They never had a chance to make Close Combat VI! I refuse to believe. Now that crappy Matrix games will keep reboxing the old games and charging an arm and leg for them. This is the worse news I've had all week.

 

[Avernus]

I know that information on this game is limited. We are aware of controversial material in the game, yet without the game seeing the light of day, we'll all remain ignorant of how well Atomic has managed to craft this experience. Personally I consider that a shame; while I would have waited for a review before making a purchase decision, I'm more than aware that many gamers as well as developers would love to create more adult themes within our hobby.

No publisher, no funds. No funds, no staff.

Certain publishers, need to find some balls.

The last time I can remember an honest to god, adult oriented, holy shit moment, was being nuked in Modern Warfare.

 

[KDR_11k]

No! No! They never had a chance to make Close Combat VI! I refuse to believe. Now that crappy Matrix games will keep reboxing the old games and charging an arm and leg for them. This is the worse news I've had all week.

I think that's important to point out, Atomic Games does more than just Six Days.

 

[Simalacrum]

ouch, one single game can really hurt a company big time... first Free Radical with Haze, now this :S

 

[Generic_Dave]

We can make films about the Holocaust and child abuse, yet as soon as a video game tries to tackle a sensitive subject...damn shame...

 

[Sevre]

It's not fair is it? It looked like a good, realistic, down-to-earth military sim. Yet people are treating it like its hell alive.

 

[Brett Alex]

We can make films about the Holocaust and child abuse, yet as soon as a video game tries to tackle a sensitive subject...damn shame...

It's not fair is it? It looked like a good, realistic, down-to-earth military sim. Yet people are treating it like its hell alive.

This was pretty much exactly what I wanted to say. The fact that I'm still posting is just to express my disappointment if this rumor turns out to be true.

 

[Chipperz]

Fucking fundamentalists.

Sorry Atomic Games, the worl... America isn't ready for your brand of being a grown up yet.

 

[not a zaar]

Fucking fundamentalists.

Sorry Atomic Games, the worl... America isn't ready for your brand of being a grown up yet.

Sure it is, just not from a video game. Video games are immature, that's why people took offense to one being about such a touchy subject.

 

[Rigs83]

Great artist are rarely ever appreciated in there lifetime so I guess the same holds true for game companies.

 

[Sparrow]

Atomic's misfortunes all center around their controversial shooter Six Days In Fallujah, billed as a realistic look at the Iraq war, that was dropped by publisher Konami only weeks after it was announced following the negative reactions it garnered from the USA.

I wonder what reason that was for... hmmm...

I sense an overeacton.

 

[hansari]

We can make films about the Holocaust and child abuse, yet as soon as a video game tries to tackle a sensitive subject...damn shame...

It's not fair is it? It looked like a good, realistic, down-to-earth military sim. Yet people are treating it like its hell alive.

This was pretty much exactly what I wanted to say. The fact that I'm still posting is just to express my disappointment if this rumor turns out to be true.

Like I said in my other post, where was the outrage that stopped the 9/11 film [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0469641/]?

 

[Volothos]

"Wait so let me get this straight. It's o.k. to shoot up nazi's 12 times a year and portray them as zombies, but when Iraq gets involved everybody's spine seems to check out for the day...thats why we can't have nice things."
-The Dead Pixel.

 

[cainx10a]

"Wait so let me get this straight. It's o.k. to shoot up nazi's 12 times a year and portray them as zombies, but when Iraq gets involved everybody's spine seems to check out for the day...thats why we can't have nice things."
-The Dead Pixel.

Don't compare Iraqis to Nazis. They didn't provoke the US to attack them, and the first fallujah skirmish which was started by the 'accidental' killing of two civvies by US snipers during a protest is not "entertainment factor" for a bunch of kiddies who could care less about the war and more about blowing shit up. Shacknews report on the game seems to put itin the "Gears of War" category more than Operation Flashpoint. Explosion, blood, gore, you know, the kind of stuff kids like so much these days.

How the fuck does one equate the Iraqi War with 'nice things'?

Should have done a game about Afghanistan instead.

 

[LtFerret]

It's not fair is it? It looked like a good, realistic, down-to-earth military sim. Yet people are treating it like its hell alive.

It had a reganertive health system, down to earth my ass

 

[Raziel_Likes_Souls]

Sources are claiming that Atomic Games is not long for this world.

Atomic Games will never get out of this world alive. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfvREkXJ_zA&feature=related]
But, oh well.

 

[TheBluesader]

Shouldn't they have had close talks with their publisher BEFORE they went ahead and dumped time and money into something they were never going to sell?

I mean, I'm the first guy to come out on the art side of the "art vs. money" debate. But at the same time, the modern gaming industry is not the 3 Guys, 4 Months industry it was 20 years ago. If making games is going to be your business, then you have to have some business savvy when you make your creative decisions.

Personally, I question how "real" war shooters really have to be. My brother-in-law and cousin are both Iraq War veterans. Listening to their stories, I see few "real" aspects of real war that would be all that fun to play.

 

[Avatar Roku]

Shouldn't they have had close talks with their publisher BEFORE they went ahead and dumped time and money into something they were never going to sell?

I mean, I'm the first guy to come out on the art side of the "art vs. money" debate. But at the same time, the modern gaming industry is not the 3 Guys, 4 Months industry it was 20 years ago. If making games is going to be your business, then you have to have some business savvy when you make your creative decisions.

Personally, I question how "real" war shooters really have to be. My brother-in-law and cousin are both Iraq War veterans. Listening to their stories, I see few "real" aspects of real war that would be all that fun to play.

The belief that it must be "fun" to be a good experience is one of the things holding back video games in general. I mean, would you call Schindler's List fun to watch?