Update: Crytek Forms Studio From Darksiders Studio's Ashes

Greg Tito

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Sep 29, 2005
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Update: Crytek Forms Studio From Darksiders Studio's Ashes



Vigil Games wasn't purchased in the THQ auction, but it may be saved anyway.

Update: A representative from Crytek got back to me to say the new studio will not make another Darksiders game. "Crytek USA won't work on a new Darksiders game. At this point in time it is too early to share any future plans," said Jens Schafer from Crytek. It doesn't look like Crytek has any interest in acquiring the IP from THQ. He also confirmed the 35-member team led by Adams consisted entirely of former Vigil Games employees.

Original post: One of the surprises in the all of its employees were laid off [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/121680-Bankruptcy-Auction-Ends-THQ]. Thankfully, it looks like the studio will be reborn. Today, the German game developer and publisher Crytek - makers of the Crysis games - announced it was forming a new studio in Austin, TX. The new studio is called Crytek USA Corp, and will be run by David Adams, the former head of Vigil.

"I'm thrilled to be a part of the newest Crytek studio, which will boast some of the brightest development talent in the industry," Adams said in a statement. "The studio's launch represents Crytek's commitment to delivering diverse and high quality content to players everywhere."

Crytek CEO Cevat Yerli chimed in with some thoughts on how Adams will be keeping his team together. "We are extremely excited about the work that we will be undertaking from our strategic new location in Austin, with David Adams and his team of 35 experienced developers," Yerli said.

Jason Rubin, former CEO of THQ, congratulated Crytek on forming the new studio. [tweet t=https://twitter.com/Jason_Rubin/status/295992564081897472]

So, Vigil Games is dead; Long live Crytek USA Corp. I'm not positive about the legal wranglings, but it appears Crytek hired back the employees of Vigil Games to form this new studio. There's no word on what game the studio will work on next, but it will apparently use the CryEngine.

I've reached out to Crytek to clarify the status of the Darksiders IP. according to another Tweet from Rubin [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/121710-Darksiders-and-Red-Faction-To-Sell-Separately], the IP is still up for grabs. I wonder if Crytek will attempt to snatch it up when it goes on sale.

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Vrach

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Jun 17, 2010
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If I'm reading that right, they didn't resurrect the studio, they just hired all the laid off employees. Vigil didn't own people and I don't think there's a law against hiring someone who's unemployed.
 

Formica Archonis

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Nov 13, 2009
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Vrach said:
If I'm reading that right, they didn't resurrect the studio, they just hired all the laid off employees. Vigil didn't own people and I don't think there's a law against hiring someone who's unemployed.
I'm a cynic. I expect someone to buy whatever remains of Vigil and then sue Crytek for poaching.
 

Tiamat666

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Dec 4, 2007
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I don't understand where Crytek gets all the money from. They rose from a bunch of guys with a tech-demo to a major developer with big studios spread across the globe practically by night. Yet all they had were the FarCry and Crysis franchises, both of which seem to have a comparatively small, dedicated fanbase, if anything you read on the Internet is true.
 

Vrach

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Dexter111 said:
Vrach said:
If I'm reading that right, they didn't resurrect the studio, they just hired all the laid off employees. Vigil didn't own people and I don't think there's a law against hiring someone who's unemployed.
Why buy the studio for (potentially) several millions if you can just let it get shuttered and can hire the people working in it for free, at potentially lower wages (because they're happy to be getting a job)?
Exactly? I'm sorry, I'm not seeing anything illegal nor even immoral here, even disregarding the fact we're talking about business. Maybe I'm hazy on what buying a studio entails, but I was thinking it gets you more than just the staff, no? If you just want the workers, you wait until they're available. Why would you pay someone millions of dollars just so he wouldn't fire his workers for a day or few?
 

Slycne

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Feb 19, 2006
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Tiamat666 said:
I don't understand where Crytek gets all the money from. They rose from a bunch of guys with a tech-demo to a major developer with big studios spread across the globe practically by night. Yet all they had were the FarCry and Crysis franchises, both of which seem to have a comparatively small, dedicated fanbase, if anything you read on the Internet is true.
I suspect engine licencing. The CryEngine might not be as widely used as Unreal, but it still means a steady income separate from game sales.
 

lastjustice

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Jun 29, 2004
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I believed the story of the riders would continue somehow.... I didn't know how but I just felt like it would find a way. It seems the 7th seal was broken after all hehe.
 

Albino Boo

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Jun 14, 2010
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Vrach said:
If I'm reading that right, they didn't resurrect the studio, they just hired all the laid off employees. Vigil didn't own people and I don't think there's a law against hiring someone who's unemployed.
Its not unknown for there to be in conditions of contracts terms stipulating that you can't work for a rival company for a set period of time. The wrangle becomes, if Vigil has gone and its parent company is being liquidated, are those terms still valid. What happens if someone buys the right to the THQ name, does the choice of enforcing those terms go to the new owner, or did those rights die.
 

Dead Seerius

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Feb 4, 2012
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Well it sucks that there won't be another Darksiders. Atleast not one from what was formerly Vigil.
But I'm happy to hear all those devs are once again employed. I was actually pretty surprised they weren't bought up in the auction.
 

Weaver

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Apr 28, 2008
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Tiamat666 said:
I don't understand where Crytek gets all the money from. They rose from a bunch of guys with a tech-demo to a major developer with big studios spread across the globe practically by night. Yet all they had were the FarCry and Crysis franchishes, both of which seem to have a comparatively small, dedicated fanbase, if anything you read on the Internet is true.
Crytek actually did a lot of simulation work for the German military.
They still do:

http://www.vg247.com/2010/09/25/crytek-has-seven-studios-military-contracts/
 

elvor0

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Sep 8, 2008
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Well it's great that they hired all of Virgil, like really great, thoroughly enjoyed Darksiders 1 and 2, but it's a shame they won't be making another one (haven't finished DS2 yet so dunno how the ending is), hopefully Crytek will buy the rights to it one day. IN fact who owns the rights now? They just floating about or what?
 

RJ 17

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Nov 27, 2011
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I FUCKING HATE THIS SHIT!!

xP Every time I hear a bit of news about this THQ business, I get my hopes up and then crushed. "THQ auctioned off a bunch of studios and IPs!" Woo-hoo! "Vigil wasn't one of them." Curses! "Vigil Games will be ressurected by Crytek!" Woo-hoo! "They have specifically said they're NOT interested in making a new Darksiders." FUCK! I can't take this roller-coaster BS. Out of this whole mess, Darksiders was really the only IP I was hoping would survive and have a new game made. More and more it seems that dream is going down the drain...FAST.
 

Weaver

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Apr 28, 2008
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Good news, everyone! You'll be happy to know that I have recently purchased the Darksiders IP rights for $21.50 USD.
 

Greg Tito

PR for Dungeons & Dragons
Sep 29, 2005
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Well, it's possible another Darksiders game could be made if the IP is bought. It just won't be made by the same team ...
 

1337mokro

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Dec 24, 2008
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"The king is dead, long live the king!"

Though I don't see why they would get part of Vigil and Not Darksiders. That game sold quite well, enough to warrant a sequel and the sequel sold well to.

Either the opening bid is to high, the sales weren't as good as I thought or they are just waiting for the price to drop. If I was them I'd wait it out to buy out whatever remains.

In the current Permanent IP industry having to many IP's doesn't exist.